By country :: France :: South-west of France
During the Middle Ages, Northern French, English and Dutch traders based in Bordeaux used the fluvial transport abilities of the Lot and the Garonne rivers to bring in wine made in the Gaillac region. In a constant search to improve their profit margins, these traders soon realised they could dispense with the middle man and grow vines themselves in the Bordeaux region. The rest is history, and Bordeaux went on to become the most famous wine region in the world! Grape varieties cultivated in the south west include, amongst others, Tannat, Negrette, Fer Servadou, Gros and Petit Manseng, and Mauzac.
So, having seen that viticulture has been around for a lot longer in this region than it its more famous counterparts, I have endeavoured to return to the roots of winemaking in this section, and in doing so present wines such as Madiran, Gaillac, Marcillac and other lesser-known appellations. My 'Coup de Coeur' in this region has to be Domaine de Cabidos, which has now developed almost a cult-like status. The Cabidos wines are unique and definitely add another dimension to any wine list. I am particularly biased to Cabidos as I had one of the most memorable meals of my life there. The mother of the owner (who is half Scottish and half French) made us the most amazing Tarte Briochée au Foie Gras (from the farm geese) with a glass of Cabidos nectar - the closest I have ever been to heaven!
Richard
Found 10 products.
Côtes du Frontonnais 'Thibaut de Plaisance' Château Plaisance 2005Our price: From £14.40Based in the village of Vacquiers in the south east of the appellation, Marc Penavayre makes wines that are nothing short of a delight to drink. The vines are planted on the highest terrace of the Tarn at an altitude of about 200 metres.The Cuvée Thibaut, an elegant Négrette/Syrah blend, named in honour of his son and from low yields of 25hl/ha, is toned, honed and polished from 12 months in barrel, a smooth, balanced wine that merits its Coup de Coeur in the Guide Hachette
Cabidos Petit Manseng Doux 'Cuvée Comte Philippe' 2007 (50cl)Our price: From £14.40The estate has been in the family since the 13th century when Navarre was a kingdom as powerful as the kingdom of France. Based in Bearn, but just outside the Jurançon appellation area and with Vivien de Nazelle at the helm, Domaine de Cabidos produces Vins de Pays made mainly from the local Petit Manseng. The sweet versions (les doux) are made using the ancient method of passerillage, which consists of dehydrating the grape by twisting the stem supporting the bunch. This cuts the supply of sap and the grapes are left to dry long into the autumn and sometimes into December. The results are stunning.
Cabidos Petit Manseng Sec 2007Our price: From £17.10The estate has been in the family since the 13th century when Navarre was a kingdom as powerful as the kingdom of France. Based in Bearn, but just outside the Jurançon appellation area and with Vivien de Nazelle at the helm, Domaine de Cabidos produces Vins de Pays made mainly from the local Petit Manseng. The sweet versions (les doux) are made using the ancient method of passerillage, which consists of dehydrating the grape by twisting the stem supporting the bunch. This cuts the supply of sap and the grapes are left to dry long into the autumn and sometimes into December. The results are stunning.
Cahors Cuvée Prestige Château du Cèdre 2008Our price: From £16.87Pascal Verhaeghe has been the driving force behind the Cahors 'Quality Charter', and this is obvious in his wines. The estate was originally created by Charles Verhaeghe on vineyard devastated by the frosts in 1956 in Viré-Sur-Lot. His sons Pascal and Jean-Marc studied winemaking, the former in Burgundy and California, the latter in Bordeaux. Ecological methods eschewing weedkillers and chemical fertilizers, austere pruning, leaf stripping (for greater sun exposure and air circulation), and harvesting at extreme phenolic ripeness yield the superb raw material that create these fabulous wines. The Verhaeghe family aim for soft, rich and ripe wines using gentle extraction, long vattings and understated use of oak.
Gaillac 'Cuvée des Drilles' Domaine d'Escausses 2010Our price: From £9.00A family-run winery that goes back seven generations, these vines and the resulting wines are the product of meticulous care and respect for the vineyard. The Balaran family seek improvement year upon year.
Gaillac Blanc Sec Château Clement-Termes 2010Our price: From £8.55Founded in 1860, this winery is run by a young and innovative team with recourse to 80 hectares of vineyard.
Heritage du Cèdre Château du Cèdre 2009Our price: From £10.12Pascal Verhaeghe has been the driving force behind the Cahors 'Quality Charter', and this is obvious in his wines. The estate was originally created by Charles Verhaeghe on vineyard devastated by the frosts in 1956 in Viré-Sur-Lot. His sons Pascal and Jean-Marc studied winemaking, the former in Burgundy and California, the latter in Bordeaux. Ecological methods eschewing weedkillers and chemical fertilizers, austere pruning, leaf stripping (for greater sun exposure and air circulation), and harvesting at extreme phenolic ripeness yield the superb raw material that create these fabulous wines. The Verhaeghe family aim for soft, rich and ripe wines using gentle extraction, long vattings and understated use of oak.
Madiran 'Cuvée Charles de Batz' Domaine Berthoumieu 2007Our price: From £16.42A group of young winemakers have worked hard to promote the identity of their wines. These growers are known locally as 'Les Jeunes Mousquetaires' and foremost amongst them is Didier Barré whose achievements at Domaine Berthoumieu have been recognised in the Guide Hachette.
Marcillac Vieilles Vignes Domaine du Cros 2008Our price: From £13.05The wines are made exclusively from the Mansois grape, otherwise known as 'Fer' or 'Fer Savadou' in Gaillac.In 1892, Domaine de Cros was a tiny estate of only one hectare producing a mere 4,000 bottles a year. They then implemented a program of buying and renting older vineyards and planting on the best hillsides, some of which have a gradient of 1:3. The surface area of the vineyard now covers 25 hectares, most of which are used for AOC production. The Teuliers then constructed a wine storehouse enabling them to rack by gravity and added on an air-conditioned bottle storage room.
Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Vieilles Vignes Sec Domaine Berthoumieu 2009Our price: From £13.50A group of young winemakers have worked hard to promote the identity of their wines. These growers are known locally as 'Les Jeunes Mousquetaires' and foremost amongst them is Didier Barré whose achievements at Domaine Berthoumieu have been recognised in the Guide Hachette.The Pacherenc, made from a blend of Gros Manseng, Courbu and Petit Manseng, is made from old vines (up to 50 years old) and half fermented in a tank and half in oak. The Charles de Batz is oak-aged, made from more than 90% Tannat.
