France - The Southwest Flashcards
1
Q
Location
Principal appellations (6)
Overall climate
Different extent of the atlantic influence in the region
A
- location: all the other appellations in south west France, except Bordeaux
- appellations: a) The Dordogne (Bergerac / Cotes de Bergerac & Monbazillac; b) Cotes de Gascogne; c) Madiran: d) Jurancon.
- overall climate: subcontinental, influenced by the Atlantic.
- Atlantic influence: a) south of Bordeaux, greater influence (up to 100km inland) due to the flatter terrain; b) east of Bordeaux (The Dordogne and Cahors) the influence diminishes due to the distance from the ocean (less rain, warmer summers).
2
Q
Location
Main appellations (3)
Main varities (5 black, 2 white)
Overall style
A
- location: east of Entre-Deux-Mers
- main appellations: a) Bergerac; b) Cotes de Bergerac; c) Monbazillac.
- permitted varieties: same as Bordeaux.
- style: similar to Bordeaux.
3
Q
Location
Permitted varieties (same as Bordeaux: 3 white / 4 black)
Permitted styles (4)
Topographic influences (1)
Yields (white & red)
Domestic x international markets
Quality level
Price level
A
- location: right & left banks of the Dordogne.
- permitted varieties: a) white = sauvignon blan, semillon, muscadelle; b) black: Cab Sav, Cab Franc, Malbec and Merlot.
- permitted styles: a) white; b) red (at lest two of the grapes above); c) rose; d) sweet white.
- some local varieties are permitted
- topographic influences: a) soil types: clay and limestone with some gravel.
- yields (similar to Bordeaux); a) white = 67 hL/ha; b) red = 60 hL/ha.
- domestic x international markets: 90% x 10%.
- domestic market = 90% a) supermarket = over 50%; b) direct sales = under 30%; c) hostpitality & specialist shops = 10%.
- international markets: China, Belgium and UK.
- quality level: good to v. good.
- price level: inexpensive to mid-priced.
4
Q
Location
Permitted varieties (same as Bergerac = 3 white / 4 black with one difference)
Predominant black variety
Permitted styles (4)
Yields (white & red)
Quality level
Price level
Oak ageing
A
- location: same as Bergerac = right and left banks of the Dordogne.
- permitted varieties: a) white = Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion and Muscadelle; b) black varieties = Cab Sav, Cab Franc, Merlot and Malbec. NO LOCAL VARIETIES PERMITTED.
- Most wines are predominantly Merlot.
- permitted styles: white, red, rose and sweet white.
- yield: lower than Bergerac = 50 hL/ha.
- quality level: good to v. good.
- price level: inexpensive to mid-priced.
- oak ageing: used by some producers
5
Q
Location
Permitted varieties (4)
Permitted styles (1)
Topographic influences (3)
Yields
Domestic x international markets
Quality level
Price level
A
- location: left bank of the Dordogne, nestled in Bergerac AOC.
- principal varieties: a) Sauvignon Blanc; b) Semillon; c) Sauvignon Gris; d) Muscadelle.
- permitted style: sweet white wine only (min 80% of the principal varities).
- topographic influences: a) situated between Dordogne and a tributary; b) moist air is funelled in along the river; c) warm late summer / early autumn burns off the humidity, creating condiitions for noble rot.
- yield: 30 hL/ha
- quality level: good to v. good
- price level: inexpensive to mid-priced.
- differences between Monbazillac and sweet wines from Bordeaux: a) fermentation in NFO is less common; b) reduced production costs and less famous = wines are less expensive.
6
Q
Location
Permitted varieties
Wine business from middle ages to 19th century
Reasons for decline from 19th century onwards
Current picture
A
- southwest of Bordeaux, right / left bank of the river Lot, a Garone tributary.
- permitted varieties: Malbec, Tannat and Merlot.
- from middle ages to 19th century: a) Cahors produced a great deal of wine; b) it was transported on the Lot / Garone to Bordeaux and exported from there.
- reasons for decline (vineyard area reduced to 1/10 of original size: a) competition from Bordeaux (taxes + export restrictions); b) phylloxera; c) devastating frost in 1956.
- 4,000 ha under vine; further 18,000 ha currently not planted.
- Malbec: 85% of hectares under vine.
- Cahors is the only French appellation in which Malbec is the principal grape variety.
7
Q
Climatic considerations (3)
Topographic considerations (3)
Vineyard management (4 = include reasons for use of machine harvesting)
A
- climatic considerations: a) sub-continental climate, with some atlantic influence; b) warmer & drier than Bordeaux; c) lower rainfall = less pressure from fungal diseases.
- topographic considerations: a) valley floor = rich alluvial soils (higher yields, lower concentration); b) mid slope = poorer soils (lower yields, higher concentration); c) highest plateau = just below 350m ASL, low nutrient, well-drained limestone soils (lower yields, higher concentration).
- vineyard management: a) single Guyot =. more common; b) machine harvesting widely used on flatter land; c) hand harvesting depends on = 1) price of the wine; 2) site accessibility; 3) weather conditions; 4) labour availability; d) 17% of vineyards are organic, above French average
8
Q
Budding & ripening
Advantages (3) & disadvantages (3)
Flavour characteristics
A
- early budding / mid-ripening.
- advantages: a) less vulnerable to autumnal rains; b) afinity with oak; c) can produce wines with great ageability.
- disadvantages: a) vulnerable to spring frost; b) susceptible to coulure, c) vigorous variety.
- flavour characteristics: deep ruby in colour, med to pronounced aromas (depending on quality level) of red & black plum, violet, med to med (+) acidity, med (+) to high tannins.
9
Q
Blend (2 factors)
Destemming requirement (2 reasons)
Causes of underripe grapes (2)
Early drinking wines (2 winemaking characteristics)
Wines with ageability (2 winemaking characteristics)
A
- Blend: a) must be a minimum of 70% Malbec, with rest being Merlot and/or Tannat; b) top quaity wines are increasingly 90-100% Malbec.
- destemming is required by law to eliminate underripe grapes.
- causes for underripe grapes: a) in the past: cool seasons; b) nowadays: lack of water prevents full ripeness.
- early drinking wines: a) uses Merlot in the blend; b) typically 7-10 days on skins for limited tannin extraction.
- wines with ageability: a) 15-25 days on skins for greater extraction; b) some oak could be used in both fermentation and maturation.
10
Q
Production by vol (private x coop)
Marketing initiatives (2)
Quality levels (3 - describe)
Domestic (2 chanels) x International markets
A
- production (by vol): a) 80% by private companies; b) 20% by a single coop (Cooperative des Vignerons d’Olt).
- marketing: a) Cahors, the French Malbec; b) Cahors, The Capital of Malbec.
- 3 levels of quality (voluntary code):
a) Tradition: inexpensive, 70-85% Malbec, often grown on rich alluvial soils (higher yield, lower concentration).
b) Prestige: mid- priced, often grown on the mid-slope.
c) Speciale: often 100% Malbec premium priced, often grown on the highest plateau. - 70% by vol sold in domestic market: a) supermarkets; b) direct sales.
- 30% by vol sold internationally: UK, Canada and USA.
11
Q
Location
Climate (3 considerations)
Topography (4 considerations inc. soil type)
A
- location: south of Cotes de Gascogne, 80km from the Atlantic.
- climate: a) sub-continental (sunny summers, dry autumns); b) warm days, cool nights; c) influenced by the Fohn (hot, dry southern wind).
- topographic factors: a) in sight of the Pyrenees mountain range; b) 4 large parallel ridges, north to south; c) steep west-facing slopes; d) soil types: 1) slopes: clay & limestone (tannic wines, suitable for long ageing); 2) flatter land: clayn and loam (less tannic, early drinking wines).
12
Q
Budding & ripening
Advantages (3) & disadvantages (2)
Flavour characteristics
A
- budding n/a, mid-ripening.
- advantages: a) can be harvested before autumn rains; b) has afinity with oak; c) can produce wines with ageability.
- disadvantages: a) vigorous; b) vulnerable to botrytis; b) highly tannic variety.
- Flavour characteristics: deep ruby in colour, pronounced aromas of blueberry, blackberry plus oak flavours; high tannnins, high acid and medium (top end) to high alc..
- early drinking, more accessible wines are also made.
13
Q
Most planted varieties
Most common styles
Madiran AOC Winemaking (4)
Tehcniques for softening tannins
Techiniques for achieving eary drining wines
A
- most planted varieties: a) Tannat; b) Cab Franc; c) Cab Sauv; d) Fer.
- permitted styles: a) red; b) sweet white (Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh).
- Winemaking (Madiran AOC): a) must be 60-80% Tannat; b) blended with Cab Franc / Sauv and Fer; c) grapes must be destemmed; d) wines can only be sold from November (in the year following the harvest).
- techniques for softening tannins: a) shorter maceration; b) micro-oxygenation; c) oak maturation; d) bottle ageing.
- how to achieve early drinking wines: a) picking ripest grapes; b) short maceration; c) gentle pressing; d) micro-oxygenation.
14
Q
Domestic x export markets
Domestic market channels (3)
Top export markets (3)
Production by vol (Coops x private)
A
- sales (by vol): a) export = 80%; b) domestic market = 20%.
- domestic market channels: a) supermarkets = 50%;
b) hospitality = 25%; c) direct sales / specialist shops = 25%. - top export markets: a) UK; b) Germany; c) Belgium.
- production (by vol): 50% coops x 50% private growers
15
Q
Location
Styles produced (3)
Sweet x dry styles (in %)
Principal varieties (3)
Jurancon Vendange Tardives (style)
Jurancon AOC (style)
A
- location: south of Madiran, on the foothills of the Pyrenees.
- sweet x dry styles: a) 70% sweet & med-sweet; b) 30% dry.
- 3 styles: a) Jurancon Vendanges Tardives (sweet); b) Jurancon (med sweet); c) Jurancon Sec (dry).
- principal varieties: a) Gros Manseng; b) Petit Manseng; c) other local varieties.
- Jurancon Vendange Tardives: sweet, intense aromas of lemon, mango, high acid, full body, med (top end) to high alc; v. good to outstanding and mid-priced to premium.
- Jurancon AOC: medium sweet, similar aromas, good to v. good, inexpensive to mid-priced.
