Southwest Flashcards
The word “Gascon” is derived from the same root as the word __” - Vascones
Basque
The relationship of Southwest France and Bordeaux from a historical perspective
- Southwest wine is undermarketed and downplayed by the Bordelais who controlled access to the sea and the global market by controlling the port of Bordeaux
- at one point, they even enacted laws to present the sales of wines from upriver
What is one grape that originated in Southwest then became crossed to be Merlot?
Cab France
How is Malbec related to Southwest?
It was taken to Bordeaux from Southwest to become an important part of Bordeaux’s red blen til the winte rfreeze of 1956. The Bordelais replanted with Merlot, Malbec travelled the Atlantic to become the mainstay of Mendoze in Argentina.
Micro oxygen
A winemaking technique developed to soften aggressive tannins, was developed by Patrick Ducournau while working with the native grape Tannat. Now this technique is used globally.
Geographical location of Southwest
west - Atlantic
East - Massif Central
South - Pyrenees and the Spanish border
North - Bordeaux
What are the three regions in Southwest?
the Bergerac and the Dorgogne River area
Garonne, Tarn and surrounding
Pyrenean foothills
The location of the sub-regions and the climatic influences with each?
The Bergerac and Dordogne River - oceanic influences with slightly warmer temperatures than Bordeaux
Garonne, Tarn and Lot River - continental, higher temperature and drier growing season, influenced by both Atlantic and Mediterranean
Pyrenean foothills - maritime climate with alpine influence. The hill ensures cool nights and puts the region in an effective rain shadow.
Which subregion has simliar wine style to Bordeaux?
Dorgogen/Bergerac
What is another name for Cab France
Bouchy
What is another name for Malbec
Cot
What sub-region has the most lesser-known local grape varieties?
Pyrenees
True of False: There is no general Southwest AOC or regional AOC
true
Bergerac AOC
- red and rose
- must contain at least two of the following: Cab, Cab France, Merlot, Cot, Fer Servadou and Merille
- must contain 10% alcohol
What is another name for Merille
Perigord
Bergerac Sec AOC
- dry white
- must contain at least two of the following: Demillon, Sauvignon, Muscadelle, Ondenc, Chenin Blance plus up to 25% Ugni Blanc
- If Ugni Blanc is present, Sauvignon must also be present in at least the same amount.
Cotes de Bergerac AOC
- red and moelleux style whites
- minimum alcohol 11%
Saussignac AOC
- liquoreux
- can contain any or all of the following: Semillon, Sauvignon, and Muscadelle
- RS (residue sugar must be more than 4.5%
- at least 12% alcohol level
Rosette AOC
- moelleux and liquoreux
- can contain any or all of the following grapes: semillon, sauvignon, and Muscadelle
- RS 0.8-5.4
- 11% alcohol
Monbazillac AOC
- Moelleux, Liquoreux
- Can contain: semillon, sauvignon blanc, sauvignon gris and muscadelle
- moelleux, RS must be more than 4.5%,late harvest and/or botrytized but must be harvested by hand
- liquoreux wines must be made from hand harvested, botrytized grapes and achieve a minimum of 8.5% RS
- minimum alcohol for both is set at 12
Gailac AOC
- red, rose, dry, sweet and sparkling white
- white Len de L’EI
- red Duras, Prunelard and Fer
- left bank sand, pebble, gravels (powerful red), right bank clay and limestone (red smooth polished tannis and lively whites)
- on the plateau above the river, limestone soils craft high acid reds and whites.
Dry white for Gailac AOC
- must be comprised of Mauzac, Mauzac Rose, Muscadelle and Len de L’EL
- the above four must consitute at least 50% of the blend
- Ondenc and Sauvignon are authorized for inclusion
- min. alcohol level is 10%
Sweet whites of Gailac AOC
- labeles as Gailac Vendange Tardive
- at least 50% Len de L’EI and Ondenc
- Muscadelle, Mauzac and Mauzac Rose are authorized blending partners
- min 9% alcohol and a min of 4.5% RS
What is sweet whites labeled as in Gailac AOC?
Gailac Vendange Tardive
What is another name for Len de L’EL?
Loin de I’Oeil
What are the two methods of making sparkling whites for Gailac AOC?
- traditional method (called Gaillac)
- methode ancestrade (Gaillac Methode Gaillacoise)
- wines made according to the ancestral method are made from 100% Marzac and/or Mauzac Rose
Describe the alcohol level and RS for sparking whites in Gailac AOC?
- Traditional method: minimum 9%
- Gailac Method Gaillacoise: min 8%, RS >1.7%
- Gaillac Methode Gaillacoise Doux: - min 8%, RS >5%
Red and rose from Gaillac AOC?
- at least 60% syrah, Duras, and Fer Servadou
- Duras and Fer represent at least 10% separately and 40% together
- min 10.5 alcohol
- Gamay, Cab and Cab France may supplement the blend
up to 10% Prunelard Noir, a recently rediscovered indigenous grape
Gaillac Primeur in Gailac AOC
- 100% Gamay
- hand-harvested
- vinified by carbonic macerations
must undergo malo lactic fermentation
Gaillac Premieres Cotes AOC
- white
- on the right bank of Tarn river
- within Gaillac AOC
- limestone and clay
- Loin de I’Oiel/Len de I’EL, Mauzac, Mauzac rose and Muscadelle
- must be at least one of these four in the blend
- principal grapes must constitute a min of 50%
- Sauvignon Blanc and Ondenc can complete the mix
What is the climate of Gaillac premieres Cotes AOC?
- Mediterranean and Oceanic influences
- impacted by dry north wine
- the moist d”Autun, a sourth-easterly wine that blows in excess
Which sub region is Cahors AOC in?
Lot Sub Region AOC
Cahors AOCs
- red only
- the most famous
known for inky, fascinating red with tobacco, plum, and prune with a hint of green apple
- favored by King Henry II, Emperor Peter I of Russia and pope John XXII
- a minimum of 70% Malbec with tup 30% merlot and/or Tannat added to the blend
- 10.5% alcohol level
Malbec is native to the area of __.
Cahors
What are the other names for Malbec?
Cot or Auxerrois
What is the climate of Cahors AOC?
- Atlantic and Mediterranean
- sunny, dry autumn
- Lot River provides frost protection
Why did Cahors replant malbec?
the winter freeze of 1956
Name some of the important AOCs in Pyrenees sub-region AOC?
Jurancon AOC
Irouleguy AOC
Pacherenc Du Vic-Bilh Sec AOC
Pacherenc Du Vic-Bilh AOC
Madiran AOC
Jurancon AOC
- Pyrenees sub region
- white only
- sandy clay
- climate influenced by altitue, atlantic breeze and a mediterranean sun
- Jurancon sec: dry white. made from Petit Manseng, Gros Menseng, Courbu, Petit Courbu and two other grapes. Petit and Gros Menseng must be >50%
- Jurancon (moelleux to liquireux ) sweet white , same formula, but hand harvested very late, at least 3.5% RS
- Vendange Tardive or Late Harvest, must be 100% Petit Manseng or Gros Menseng. , harvest wait til at least 5 weeks after the first harvest. at least 3.5 RS often more. must be held for 18 months before being submitted to a tasting panel to confer AOC status
- sweet whites represent 60% of total production, then 40% dry white
Irouleguy AOC
- Pyrenees sub region
- red, white and rose
- three soil types, sandstone, limestone and clay
- white from Petite Manseng, Gros Menseng and/or Courbu, 10.5 alcohol
- Red and rose at least 50% Cab Sauvignon and Franc together. Tannat complete the blend. Destemming mandatory, a min of 10% alcohol
- southernmost AOC in Southwest
- the only AOC from the Basque country
What is the only AOC in Basque country
Irouleguy AOC
What is the southern most AOC>
Irouleguy
Pacherenc Du Vic Bilh AOC
Sec (white only, dry)
otherwise (white only, moulleux or liquoreux)
- the same AOC with madiran (red)
- influenced by both Atlantic and the Pyrenees to provite a temperate growing season
- sec contain at least 60% Courbu, Petit Courbu, Petit Manseng and/or Gros Manseng, separately no more than 80% of the blend. min 11%
- for the sweet ones, the same formula, but >3.5% RS
What does Pacherenc mean in local dialect?
Vine stake.
Vic Bilb is a village, but Vic Bilb also means old country
Madiran AOC
- red only
must contain more than 70% Tannat
Complete with Cab France, Cab Sauvignon and Fer Servadou
- 11% alcohol, destemmed by law
- many bottle 100% tannat (deeply tannic, well structured)
- micro oxygenation
Micro Oxygenation
In 1991, Madiran vegneron, Patrick Ducournau
minute amounts of oxygen are slowly bubbled through the vat of wine. This causes tannin molecules to bone with other tannin molecules and loses their aggressive edge on the palate. In essence, the technique mimics the time consuming barrel aging steps
What are the largest and most significant IPGs
Cotes de Gascognc
IGP Comte Tolosan
What IGP shares the same zone of production of Armagnac?
IGP Cotes de Gascogne
Can vigneron produce both armagnac and Cotes de Gascogne?
technically yes, but in practice no.
they require different vine management.
What are the three sub regions in Cotes de Gascogne?
Bas, Tenareze and Haut
Definitions of moelleux and liquoreux
The translation of “moelleux” is sweet, soft, tender, smooth and mellow, and I’ve seen it used to refer to a wine that’s only slightly sweet. “Liquoreux” definitely refers to a rich and sweet wine, but typically only describes the richest, most luscious of dessert wines
What Southwest AOC is most associated with the Len de l’el variety?
Gaillac
What wine styles are produced in Côtes de Bergerac?
Red and moelleux white
What Southwest AOC makes sparking wine using the ancestral method?
Gaillac
What style of wine is produced in the Jurançon AOC?
White wines based on Gos and Petit Manseng
Which AOC within the Dordogne/Bergerac Sub-Region does not make white wine?
Bergerac AOC (red and rosé)
What is the name of the river that runs through Bergerac?
The Dordogne
What Southwest AOC makes wines mainly from Tannat?
Maridan
What style of wine is made in the Saussignac, Rosette and Monbazillac AOCs?
sweet wines
In the Southwest, Cabernet Franc is also known as:
Bouchy
What Southwest growing area lies in a rain shadow?
The Pyrenean foothills
What grape variety is used to make Gaillac Primeur?
Gamay
What is the name of the river that runs through Gaillac?
Tarn
Who invented the micro-oxygenation winemaking technique?
Patrick Ducournau
What three grape varieties are used to make the sweet wines of Saussignac, Rosette and Monbazillac AOC?
Sémillon, Savignon Blanc and Muscadelle
Côt is a synonym for what other grape variety?
Malbec
Braucol, Mansoi and Pinenc are all synonyms for what grape variety?
Fer Servadou
What is the name of the river that runs through the Cahors AOC?
Lot
