Sud-Ovest

The South West is a vast area near the Atlantic Ocean, south of the Bordeaux region and west of the Midi. It is made up of a collection of small wine areas from which valuable wines come in which style is influenced by Bordeaux, Languedoc-Rosusillon and Rhône. The most famous South West Appelation is definitely Cahors. Located in the department of the River Lot, in the Midi-Pyrénées region, it suffers the influence of both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean. The vineyards are cultivated on the terraces and on the hillsides of the valleys created by the River Lot. The soil is composed of clay and stone and grow two native vines, Tannat and Malbec. It should be noted that these two vineyards have found more fortune outside the national borders than in France. In fact, Malbec has become the symbol of grapes in Argentina, while the Tannat in Uruguay. Both give dark, very tannic red wines, which need to age at least ten years before maturing. Appelation Bergerac produces wines similar to Bordeaux and its history is as old as it was already in 1250 that its wines were shipped to London. Reds are produced with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot while the whites with Semillon, Sauvignon and Muscadelle. From the heart of the Bergerac Appellation comes the wines named Monzabillac. The grapes come from vines planted in 1080 by the monks of the San Martin abbey on a hill called Mont Bazailhac. with Sauvingon, Semillon, and Muscadelle grapes you get high-value white wines, intensely sweet and rich. In the Department of Aveyron, a wine is called Marcillac, obtained from the grapes Fer Servadou. Young people are rough and rustic but with time they soften. In the department of Gaillac we find the Appelation of the same name where the vines are cultivated on terraces placed on the banks of the river Tar. In this denomination we find older vines of France, with red berries such as Duras, Braucol, Syrah and Gamy, with white berries like Mauzac and Loin de l'Oeil. White wines are usually dried or sparkling, and with Negrette grapes assembled with Cabernet Sauvignon and Fer Servadou, Cotes du Frontonnais, the red or shaved wine of Toulouse, is produced. To the north of the vineyards for Armagnac production we find the name Buzet while, in the Basque province of Bearn there are the two Appelations of Bearn and Bear-Bellcq. In Gascoga we find the red Madiran produced with Tannat grapes growing on clay and limestone clay along the Adour River. The wines are full bodied red, tannic, suitable for robust local cuisine. At the foot of the Pyrenees we find the Appelation Jurancon which specializes in its sweet white wines obtained from Gros-Manseng, Petit-Mansegn and Petit-Courbou grapes. Gros-Manseng grapes also produce dry wines. In the department of Pyrennes-Atlantiques there is the Appelation of Iroulèguy which produces red and rosé wines obtained from Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc grapes and white grapes from Courbu, Petit-Manseng and Gros-Manseng grapes. The red wines of Iroulèguy are deep, spicy and tannic. Among the best producers in the South West are Domaine Cauhpè, Domaine Bouscassè, Laurent Cazottes, Domaine Arretxea, Domaine Du Cros, Clos Lapeyre and Carmarans Nicolas.