Southwest Flashcards
What are the 3 sub-regions of SW France?
Their locations?
Their associated rivers?
And their climates/climatic influences?
- Conglomerate of tiny sub-regions; encompasses 12 departments and 2 regions.
- Bordered on the west by Atlantic;
east by Massif Central; south by Pyrenees and Spanish border; north by BDX - Appellations are divided into three primary locations:
- Bergerac/Dordogne = oceanic influences w/ WARMER temps than BDX
- Garonne/Tarn/Lot = Continental; influences from atlantic and the med; higher temps and drier growing season
- Pyrenean Foothills = maritime w/ alpine influences; cool nights, in a rain-shadow
SW France:
What are the principle 9 whites and 4 reds found in the Pyrenees AOC?
- Camarlet
- Lauzet
- Gros Manseng
- Petit Manseng
- Arrufiac
- Raffiat
- Courbu
- Clairette Blanche
- Baraoque
- Manseng Noir
- Courbu Noir
- Tannate the
- Fer Servadou
SB, Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, Merlot also grown here.
SW France:
What are the 5 need to know AOCs in the Pyrenees region?
What style is produced?
- Jurancon = whites only
- Irouleguy = red, white, rosé
- - Southern most AOC, found in Basque country - Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh = whites only, moelleux or liquoreux
- Madiran = red only; made from Tannat
SW France:
What are the need to know AOC’s in Dordogne/Bergerac?
What wine style is produced?
- Bergerac AOC = red, rosé
- Bergerac Sec AOC = dry white
- Côtes de Bergerac AOC = red, moelleux whites
- Saussignac = liquoreux (late harv or botry)
- Rosette = moelleux, liquoreux
- Manbazillac = moelleux (late harv a/o botry, must hand harv), liquoreux (must botry, must hand harv)
SW France:
What are the need to know AOCs in Garonne/Tarn?
And the styles in each AOC
- Gaillac = red, rosé, dry, sweet, sparkling
- - sparkling made in ancestral method; use Mauzac and Mauzac rosé - Gaillac Premieres Cotes = dry white only
- - made primarily by Lion de l’Oeil (Lende l’el), Mauzac, Mauzac rosé and Muscadelle
SW France:
What is the 1 need to know AOC in the Lot?
- Cahors = red only
- - 70% min Malbec (Cot, Auxerrois)
SW France:
What are the 6 red/white varieties in Dordogne/Bergerac?
These areas are closest to Bordeaux, often indistinguishable; produce wines in similar style and largely from same Vars.
White:
- SB
- Sémillon
- Muscadelle
- Ugni Blanc
- Ondenc
- Chenin B (occasionally)
Red:
- Cab Sauv
- Cab Franc
- Merlot
- Malbec (Côt)
- Fer Servadou (Braucol, Mansoi, Pinenc)
- Mérille (Périgord)
SW France:
What are the 9 principle grapes grown in the Garonne/Tarn/Lot?
And what are they used in?
River vys still similiar to Bordeaux; several G vars not used in BDX are common here.
- SB
- Semillon
- Muscadelle
- Ugni Blanc
- Ondenc = Gaillac Vendange Tardive
- Len de l’El = Gaillac Vendange Tardive
- Chenin Blanc (Rouchelein)
- Len de l’El (Loin de l’Oeil)
- Mauzac = Gaillac Méthod Gaillacoise
- Mauzac Rosé = Gaillac Méthod Gaillacoise
- Saint Côme (Rousselou)
- Gamay
- Cab Sauv
- Cab Franc (Bouchy)
- Merlot
- Malbec (Côt)
- Mérille (Perigord)
- Tannat
- Négrette (PN)
- Duras
- Fer Servadou (Braucol, Mansoi/Mansois, Pinenc)
- Syrah
- Abouriou
- Cinsault
- Prunelard
- Jurançon Noir
- Mouyssaguès
- Pinot Noir
What is the relationship btwn SW and BDX?
- BDX control acess to sea = global markets
- Because SW wines need to travel along the Dordogne and Garonne for trade along the Atlantic coast
- BDX mandated that SW wines could not be sold until all BDX were purchased and sent to market
- Some rebound in 1700s, but scourges of 1800s and World Wars set back more
- SW still over shadowed by BDX; although similar in quality, taste, varieteis and winemaking methods.
What are the styles of SW wines?
Red, White, sweet
- Mostly dry whites
- Reds all dry and still
- Sweets may be botrytised or late-harves
- Sparkling whites both ancestrale and traditional methods.
SW France:
What is the processes behind Gaillac Methode Gaillacoise?
- Sparkling whites can be made using the traditional méthod (labels read Gaillac)
- can be made using same blending formula as for still whites
- Or by méthode ancestrale (labels read Gaillac Méthode Gaillacoise)
- made from 100% Mauzac and/or Mauzac Rose
- Special regulations:
- Traditional Method: min 9% alc
- Gaillac Méthode Gaillacoise: min alc 8%; usuall more than 1.7%/17g/l RS
- Gaillac Méthode Gaillacoise Doux: min alc 8%; at least 5%/50g/l RS
SW France:
What are the processes behind Gaillac Primeur
- Made from 100% Gamay;
- Grapes must be hand harvested
- Graes must be vinified by carbonic maceration
- Must also under malo-lactic fermentation
- Overall production is 60% red, 30% white and 10% rosé
SW France:
What are the definitions of moelleux and liquroeux?
- 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.
