Southwestern France and the Dordogne Flashcards
Sud Ouest/South West France: Divided in to three parts Wines of the east Wines of the central zone Wines of the west
Appellations and location?
The Southwest can be divided into three distinct regions:
—Wines of the East (including Fronton, Gaillac and Marcillac): The wines are generally more fruity and spicy than others in the Southwest.
—Wines from the central zone (including Bergerac, Duras, Cotes de Gascogne, Montbazillac, Montravel and a few others): These wines are grown on clay and limestone soils, with grape varieties heavily influenced by Bordeaux.
—Wines of the West (including Madiran, Jurançon and Irouléguy, as well as Béarn, Tursan and St. Mont): These appellations see the Pyrénées and are influenced by its mountain climate.
—Bergerac NW corner of SW France (just below Bordeaux). Contains:
—Monbazillac, Saussignac, Rosette, Haut-Montravel, and Côtes de Montravel
—Running SE from Bergerac in order:
Buzet and Brulhois (both alongside northern Armagnac) Côtes de Duras, Côtes de Marmandais, Fronton, Gaillac
—Coteaux du Quercy, and Cahors directly north of Fronton
—Saint Mont, Tursan, Madiran ((Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh within), Jurancon, Béarn, and Irouléguy, south of Armagnac.
What is the Midi?
Southern France or the South of France, colloquially known as le Midi, is a defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Marais Poitevin, Spain, the Mediterranean, and Italy. The Midi includes: Aquitaine The island of Corsica Languedoc-Roussillon Midi-Pyrénées Poitou-Charentes (the southern parts) Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Rhône-Alpes (the southern parts)
What appellation is southeast of Bordeaux’s Right Bank?
What river cuts through said appellation?
What direction does the river flow?
-Southeast of Bordeaux’s Right Bank is the appellation of Bergerac
The Dordogne River, flowing westward from its origin in the Massif Central, runs through the region of Bergerac.
Bergerac AOP style?
All three colors of wine from Bordeaux varietals.
Blanc: Min. 75% combined Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, and Muscadelle
Red/Rose:
Min. 75% combined Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Cot, and Merlot
- *Min. 2 principal varieties, with principal varieties accounting for at least 50% of the blend.
- *Traditionally seen as “country bumpkins” to the wines of Bordeaux
- *Château Tour des Gendres “zjhawn-dra” biodyanamic producer deserves considerable credit for seriousness of appellation.
What is Côtes de Bergerac AOP and how does it differ from Bergerac?
Côtes de Bergerac AOP produces white and red (no rose) wines based on Bordeaux varieties. Appellation “distinguishes superior reds”.
—Differs from Bergerac AOP as it requires a higher amount of minimum alcohol. 11.5%, 11% acquired for blanc (Bergerac is 10.5% white and 11% red), and white wines can be sweet (RS for Blanc: 4-54 g/l)
*Rouge wines also have Élevage: may not be released until Dec 15 of the year following the harvest. Min. 2 months bottle aging.
What appellation lies within Bergerac and are known to be the longest lived wines of Bergerac?
Style/Assemblage?
Min Pot Alcohol?
Pécharmant AOP
- -Rouge only: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cot (no grape may exceed 65%)
- -Assemblage: At least 3 varieties must be present, and no grape may exceed 65% of the blend.
- -Minimum Potential Alcohol: 11.5%
What are the 5 sweet wine appellations within Bergerac?
Locations?
- Monbazillac AOP (east of Saussignac and south of Rosette)
- Saussignac AOP (west of Monbazillac)
- Rosette AOP: Blanc: 15-70% combined Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris, plus Sémillon and Muscadelle (north of Monbazillac)
- Haut-Montravel AOP: Min. 50% Sémillon with Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle
- Côtes de Montravel AOP: min. 30% Sémillon, with Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle
Why is Monbazillac the most notable appellation for sweet wine in Bergerac? What other appellation is close behind in quality?
Its sandy soils are particularly suitable for Muscadelle.
**Saussignac is a close second for quality in that it is the only other one of the 5 that grapes must be hand-harvested in successive tries. and that chaptalization or cryoextraction (+ the use of oak chips) are forbidden, a huge improvement knowing that it is one of the only AOPs in the area (with the Monbazillac SGN) to do so… Sauternes for example still allows it.
Monbazillac AOP: Styles. Encepagement? Assemblage? Min Must weight? Min RS? Harvest method? Enrichment? Elevage? River and tributary?
Blanc and SGN:
Min. 90% combined Muscadelle, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, and Sémillon
Max. 10% combined Chenin Blanc, Ondenc, and Ugni Blanc
Assemblage: Principal varieties must account for 80%
-Blanc: 221; SGN: 255
-min RS blanc: 45 g/l SGN: 85 g/l
-must be hand harvest in tries
-no chaptalization for SGN wines
-elevage:
Blanc: may not be released until June 1 of the year following the harvest
SGN: may not be released until June 15 of the second year following the harvest
-Gardonette and Dordogne
How does Montravel AOP wines differ from Côtes de Montravel and Haut-Montravel?
Styles for each?
Locations of each?
—Côtes de Montravel (min. 30% Sémillon, north) and Haut-Montravel (min. 50% Sémillon, east) are sweet wine appellations only
—Montravel AOP wines may be dry red or white only (based on Min. 25% Sémillon, min. 25% combined Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris, plus Muscadelle for white and Min. 50% Merlot for red)
What are the four most important appellations south of the Dordogne/of the Sud Ouest?
Cahors AOP
Madiran AOP
Jurancon AOP
Gaillac AOP
What river does Cahors lie on?
Lot River
Cahors AOP style
Red wine only based on 70% Cot (Malbec) with Tannat and Merlot
What is micro-oxygenation and who developed it?
-French term: micro bullage
-vinification technique initiated in 1990 by winemaker Patrick Ducournau (“DU-ker-NO”) in Madiran to control the aeration of wines in tank and soften the blow of the tannic Tannat.
—enables precise and controlled levels at various stages in the winemaking process; also addresses the issue of wine storage, transforming large inert storage vessels into selectively permeable containers of infinitely variable dimensions.
–Benefits:
-Build healthy yeast population and avoid stuck fermentation
-maintain yeast viability, thus minimizing the production of sulfide, which may later cause reduction problems.
-belief that it mirrors the effects of oxygen on wines treated to barrel maturation/cost effective alternative to oak barrels.
-favors polymerization of tannins and the retention of pigmented tannins resulting respectively in a softer taste and a more stable color.
-it is said to also be an effective remedy for green or vegetal characters, but there is no evidence of this.
What is the Madiran AOP style?
What region is Madiran located in?
What river is it located on?
What is the soil called?
Rouge only: 60-80% Tannat; plus Cabernet Franc, Cab Sauv, and Fer
-Gascony
-River Adour
While clay is the major soil-type, Madiran is located under as impenetrable subsoil called greppe (huge limestone slabs) that underlies the entire region.
