Southwest France

Question 1

What are the major white varieties of the Dordogne?

Answer 1

Sémillon, sauv blanc, sauv gris, muscadelle, ugni blanc

Question 2

What are the major red varieties of the SW and Pyrenées?

Answer 2

Côt, Cab Franc, Merlot, Tannat, Cab, Fer

Question 3

What are the major white varieties of the SW and Pyrenées?

Answer 3

Gros & petit manseng, corbu, petit corbu, mauzac, sauvignon blanc

Question 4

What are the major red varieties of the Dordogne?

Answer 4

merlot, cab, cab franc, côt

Question 5

What does the Southwest region include?

Answer 5

Noncontiguous regions from the atlantic & spanish border to the center of the country

Question 6

What geographical features does the Southwest include?

Answer 6

The Atlantic, the Dordogne & Lot rivers, the Pyranées, and the massif central

Question 7

What is the climate of the Southwest?

Answer 7

From true maritime to true mediterranean to with some rainshadow from the pyranées

Question 8

Is there a unifying soil in the Southwest?

Answer 8

Nope! Too varied due to sheer size

Question 9

Who first planted vines in the Southwest?

Answer 9

The Romans

Question 10

What famous historical kingdom was the Southwest originally a part of?

Answer 10

Aquitaine.

Question 11

Why aren’t SW wines as famous as Bordeaux? When did they first appear on the world wine stage?

Answer 11

Bordeaux merchants intentionally stymied the SW wine industry by establishing a law that no outside wine could be traded from the port of Bordeaux until all Bordeaux wines were sold. They didn’t really leave their local region until the 20th century.

Question 12

Does winemaking in the SW mirror that of Bordeaux? In what way?

Answer 12

Yes, new oak barriques are sought after for both reds & whites.

Question 13

Who improved the wines of Madiran with a unique wine making technique? When?

Answer 13

Patrick Ducournau developed micro-oxygenation in the 1990s to break down the tannins of Madiran wines, to make them more accessible.

Question 14

What rules govern Bergerac AOP?

Answer 14

Dry whites from Semillon & Sauvblanc
reds and rosé from Cab, Merlot, Cab Franc, & Côt

Question 15

What rules govern Cotes de Bergerac?

Answer 15

Same as Bergerac, with higher minimum ABV

Question 16

What rules govern Pécharmant AOP?
Where is Pécharmant?

Answer 16

Only red blends from cab, merlot, cab franc, côt.

Pécharmant is an AOP within Bergerac renowned for its quality

Question 17

Name 5 sweet wine appellations within Bergerac?

Answer 17

Monbazillac, Saussignac, Rosette, Haut-Montravel, & Cotes de Montravel.

Question 18

What rules govern Cahors AOP?

Answer 18

dry reds based on côt, with merlot & tannat.

Question 19

What rules govern Madiran AOP?

Answer 19

dry reds based on Tannat, with cab, cab franc, & fer.

Question 20

What rules govern Jurançon AOP?

Answer 20

passerillage sweet whites from petit manseng, dry, tangy whites from gros manseng for Jurançon Sec AOP

Question 21

What rules govern Gaillac AOP?

Answer 21

dry to sweet whites from Mauzac, Len de l’El, muscadelle

reds & rosés from Duras & Fer

Gaillac Doux & Gaillac Mousseux is also made.

Question 22

What two cities does the Southwest stretch between? What city is the center of SW winemaking?

Answer 22

Bordeaux & Toulouse, with Cahor at the center.