The Southwest of France includes the regions north of the Pyrénées and west of the Languedoc all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. Gaillac and the Côtes du Frontonnais are at the eastern edge of this region. Here they make a wide variety of wines, but most share a light, refreshing and fruity character that comes from the Negrette grape for the reds and Mauzac for the whites, although many others are used.
Northwest of this area is Cahors on the river Lot. This ancient vineyard region blends Malbec (70%), Merlot and Tannat with a touch of Jurançon Noir for alcohol. These wines are tannic, full-bodied and deeply colored – the “Black Wine of Cahors” is the most often heard descriptor.
 To the west of Cahors lie a variety of districts that produce wines on the Bordeaux model. Dry whites from Sauvignon, Semillon and Muscadelle are produced in Montravel and Bergerac; sweet whites from the same grapes in Monbazillac and Montravel; and red wines from the Cabernets, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot in Percharmant, Buzet, and the Côtes du Marmandais.
Southwest of these regions lies Armagnac, and southwest of there lies the cluster of appellations that make up the furthest southwest corner of the country, including Jurançon (sweet whites) and Madiran (full bodied reds) and the less well-known Côtes de St. Mont, Tursan (using the Baroque grape for the whites), Bearn, and the Basque region of Irouleguy, known (if at all) for red wines from Tannat blended with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. These appellations share a common thread in the grape varieties that make up the blend.
Tannat is one of the most distinctive grapes of the Southwest. It gives a wine, as the name hints, that is tannic, full-bodied, and deeply colored, with a black and red berry fruit character and a distinct earthiness. It is the dominant variety in Madiran, and used in other regions as well. Here (as in Côtes de St. Mont) it is blended with a local grape called Fer Servadou.
Among the more important regional white grapes are Gros and Petit Manseng. These are used in Jurançon and Pacherenc de Vic Bihl among others. These two may be blended, but in general Gros Manseng is used for dry wines and the Petit Manseng is used for dessert wines. They give an exotic, almost tropical fruit character with a spicy edge, and they retain their high acidity, even at high levels of ripeness. These are often blended with the more neutral Courbu, Ruffiac, Len de l’Elh and Odenc.
|
Wine Regions of the World
