SW of France

Question 1

Bergerac AOC : General

Answer 1

• dry, sweet, rose and red wines
• Clay and limestone
• slightly warmer than Boardeaux
• Red must be 50% Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Malbec and Merlot
• Similar to Bordeaux AOC : Red wines are max 60hl/hc / whites are 67hl/hc
• Made in large oak or ss tanks for easy drinking style
• over 90% sold in France in supermarkets, direct sales and some hospo

Question 2

Cotes de Bergerac AOC

Answer 2

• higher quality
• restricted to only Bordeaux varieties
• Max yield is lower at 50hl/hc
• oak ageing is more commonly used
• Good to very good in quaity

Question 3

Monbazillac AOC

Answer 3

• This appellation is for sweet wines only
• Botryits or late harvest are allowed
• The location on the Dordogne River creates a funnel of moist air mists and dew, and high humidity burnt off by the sun = noble rot
• Passes through the vineyard for ripeness must be done by hand
• Wines must be at least 80% SB, SGris, Semillon and Muscadelle
  *** MAX YIELD IS 30hl/hc **
• winemaking is cheaper than Sauterne and not much new oak is used
• Good to very good wines
• mainly sold in France, only 10% exported

Question 4

SW of France: Cahors

The Black Wine of Cahors

Answer 4

• birthplace of Malbec
• 3,300 hc of Malbec
• only place in France that used malbec as the principal grape

Question 5

SW of France: Cahors

Climate and Grapegrowing

Answer 5

• 250kms inland with some influence from the Atlantic
• Climate is warmer and drier than Bordeaux - 800mm of rainfall
• Malbec and 10% Tannat
• Less disease pressure , less spraying
• 17% Organic above the national avg.
• Vineyards next to the river are alluvial and flat , mid slope , and plateau at 350m is low in nutrients with limestone soils.
• Single guyot system is most common.
• flat lands are machine harvested , otherwise hand harvestin is used depending on market prices, weather and availabily of labour .

Question 6

Cahors : Malbec

Answer 6

• aka Cot
• vigorous , needs careful canopy and yield management
• Traditional Cahors wines are deep in ruby, medium to pronounced levels or violet, red plum, black plum, medium to medium plus acid, medium plus to high tannins
• Very good examples are aged in French oak and have notes of vanilla and sweet spice
• Good to outstanding and can can be aged for many years

Question 7

Cahors AOC: Winemaking and Laws

Answer 7

• min 70% Malbec ( Merlot and Tannat )
• Top quality are 90-100% Malbec
• Destemming is required by the appellation to eliminate unripe tannins and stems
• Styles vary from **early drinking **- using Merlot and 7-10 days on skins
• Wines intended for ageing at 15-25 days on skins , matured in oak
  *

Question 8

Cahors: Wine Business

Answer 8

• private companies are at 80% and co-ops at 20%
• 2007, Cahors Malbec is a marketing label helping to raise the prestige and price of their wine - also single vineyard selections and bottling the best barrels seperately
• supermarkets, direct sales in France are 70% of volume sales
• UK,Canada and Us are importing 30%

Question 9

SW France: Madiran Location and Climate

Answer 9

• 80kms from the Atlantic Ocean and next to the Pyrenees
  ( France and Spain border)
• rainfall is 1000mm , with some maritime influence . Warm sunny summers and dry autumns , drying **Fohn Wind **
• Four large, roughly parallel ridges N-S with steep West facing slopes
  -Soils are clay and limestone with good drainage.
• on flatter land - soils are clay and clay/loam resulting in less tannic wines for early drinking
  *

Question 10

Madiran : Tannat

Answer 10

• Tannat is vigorous
• Mid -ripening picked before the rains in autumn
• prone t botrytis rot .
• Tannat intended for ageing is deep ruby in colour, pronounced blackberry and blackcurratn, oak , high tannins,high acid and full body, alcohol from Med +to High
• Very good to outstanding
• Early drinking styles are made with less tannins

Question 11

Madiran: Winemaking and Laws

Answer 11

• Madiran AOC must be 50% Tannat, blended with Cab Sauv, Cab Franc or local Fer
• Highest quality wines are 85-100% Tannat
• Vines are trained in Cordon Royat or guyot
• Grapes must be destemmed to avoid unripe stems / high tannin
  *** MAX YIELD IS 55hl/hc **
  Winmakers soften tannins by oak ageing, longer time in bottles before release and shorter maceration times

Early drinking styles are made using ripe grapes, gentle pressing and micro-oxygenation ( invented by a Madiran winemaker ) v
**Wines can only be sold from the beginning of November a year after harvest . **

Question 12

Madiran : Wine business

Answer 12

• 80% are sold in France, by supermarkets , hospo, direct to consumer
• Top export markets are Belgium, Canada and Germany
• Production is split between 50-50 private grower and co-ops ( important Cave dee Crouseilles )