Southwest France
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228 FRANCE SOUTHWEST FRANCE This region encompasses numerous small, the main square is usually completely deserted all day long, except scattered areas that combine to produce an during the five o’clock rush hour, which can last for all of 10 minutes. impressively wide range of excellent-value wines THE DIVERSITY OF THE APPELLATIONS with diverse, but quite discernible, stylistic The Southwest does not have a single wine of truly classic status, yet it probably offers more value for money and is a greater source influences from Bordeaux, Spain, Languedoc- of hidden bargains than any other French region. From the succulent, Roussillon, and the Rhône. sweet Jurançon moelleux and Monbazillac to the fine wines of Bergerac, Buzet, and Marmandais, the revitalized “black wines” of AT THE HEART OF THE REGION lies Gascony, the great brandy Cahors, the up-and-coming Frontonnais, the tannic Madiran, and district of Armagnac. It was from here that d’Artagnan set out in the highly individual Irouléguy of the Basque country, this part of around 1630 to seek fame and fortune in the King’s Musketeers. France represents tremendous potential for knowing wine drinkers. The narrow tracks upon which his eventful journey began still Perhaps because it is a collection of diverse areas, rather than wind their lonely way around wooded hills and across bubbling one natural region, the appellations of the Southwest seem at first brooks. Aside from brightly colored fields of cultivated sunflowers, numerous and confusing—even within one area there appear to surprisingly little has changed since Alexandre Dumas painted such be needless duplications. In Bergerac, for example, the dry white a vivid and colorful picture of these parts, for they remain sparsely wines and red wines are reasonably easy to understand, since populated to this day. Time passes slowly even in the towns, where there are three dry appellations (Bergerac, Bergerac sec, and SOUTHWEST FRANCE, see also p.55 A10 PÉRIGUEUX This diverse region bridges the southwest corner D3 10 e 708 le N n D Is n of France. While it is mostly subject to the climatic N137 o Blaye 105 r D DORDOGNE influence of the Atlantic, areas such as Gaillac Montpon- Bourg D Castelnau- Coutras Ménestérol N21 710 are also affected by the Mediterranean. de-Médoc 20 195 D8 A89 Haut- D2 Côtes de Montravel D6 Rosette le Bugue Sarlat-la- Montravel Canéda N89 Libourne Bordeaux D703 CANTAL D BERGERAC Dord D940 Vin d'Entraygues et ANDERNOS- 936 Ste-Foy-la-Grande ogne N140 du Fel LES-BAINS D10 Monbazillac Gramat N250 D660 Maurs Saussignac Gourdon 921 D D70856 Entraygues-sur- GIRONDED N122 ARCACHON pt N20 LOT 670 ro Monpazier Truyère D N21 317 A63 A D660 Figeac 62 Cadillac N113 A66 D710 N D653 140 409 Espalion N10 D933 Decazeville Salles 80 Langon 136 Marmande Fumel Vin D1 Marcillac D922 d'Estaing D3 N113 Bazas 211 Cahors Lot 85 LOT- 369 Tonneins D911 AVEYRON Biscarosse le Muret St-Symphorien D911 N88 Villeneuve- D653 Villefranche-de- RODEZ ET- N20 56 Casteljaloux sur-Lot A20 Rouergue Aiguillon Baraqueville Lauzerte Pont-de- Captieux GARONNE Caylus 616 Salars D911 126 Mimizan D953 D926 r A61 AGEN 167 Caussade u 113 ia 932 Sabres Nérac Valence V 58 149 Côtes Av D626 D932 e TARN yron N134 du Bruhlois N88 595 n N10 D933 r D656 Castelsarrasin D115 Cordes-sur-Ciel a D652 Morcenx T Roquefort MONTAUBAN D38 ET- 316 Vins de Lavilledieu D999 D922 ALBI LANDES Condom Gaillac 75 ze 228 GARONNE u B Castets o MONT-DE- D964 St-Sernin- d a i G Beaumont- sur-Rance M e i Fleurance MARSAN s A68 N124 D394 N112 l e 648 Eauze i de-Lomagne s N21 St-Sulpice Tartas e D631 D1 Vic-Fezensac Graulhet 7 Dax St-Sever N124 Aire-sur- 203 l'Adour HAUTE- A Hagetmau AUCH L'Isle- TARNg Capbreton r l'Union out ou Tursan Riscle Jourdain Colomiers d 100 N124 A 134 Puylaurens D933 ts CASTRES a N112 N117 GERSr N126 A63 r BIARRITZ A64 A Toulouse MAZAMET Orthez St-Lys Lombez Revel N112 N134 D632 BAYONNE Salies-de- A64 154 D943 D929 N N21 326 D932 i GARONNE v Cambo-les- Béarn Miélan 1211 e Bearn Mourenx Vic-en-Bigorre A61 Villefranche-de-Lauragais D118 Bains e Auterive d G v N117 D918 'O ave a N20 H Castelnaudary lo D632 S Carbonne ers N113 ro Boulogne-sur-Gesse n HAUTES422 D9 PAU N117 AUDE PYRÉNÉES TARBES e D6 D17 n 134 n Oloron- o A66 N ar CARCASSONNE D933 Ste-Marie A64 G 236 St-Jean-Pied- PYRÉNÉESLannemezan 301 D937 38 Mirepoix 665 de-Pott D9 Pamiers ATLANTIQUES N125 St-Gaudens D948 D935 1544 21 N Limoux 1266 ARIÈGE D117 Bergerac Cahors Madiran Pécharmant Buzet Côtes de St.-Mont PARIS Other AOC and VDQS areas Côtes du Frontonnais Gaillac Département boundary Height above sea level (meters) Côtes de Duras Irouléguy 0 10 20 30 40 miles Côtes du Marmandais Jurançon 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 km SOUTHWEST FRANCE 229 CÔTES DE BUZET VINEYARDS This good-value Bordeaux satellite is barely 9 miles FACTORS AFFECTING TASTE AND QUALITY (15 kilometers) from the Gironde département. LOCATION VITICULTURE AND HThe southwest corner of JVINIFICATION Montravel) and three red-wine appellations (Bergerac, Côtes France, bordered by Bordeaux, the The viticultural traditions and de Bergerac, and Pécharmant), but there is a veritable galaxy of Atlantic, the Pyrenees, and the vinification techniques of Bergerac, sweet and semi-sweet appellations (Bergerac, Bergerac Moelleux, Mediterranean vineyards of Buzet, Marmandais, and, to some Montbazillac, Côtes de Montravel, Haut-Montravel, Rosette, and Languedoc-Roussillon. extent, Cahors, are similar to those of Bordeaux. Other districts of this CLIMATE Saussignac). When such a small and relatively minor area as F composite region have very much Bergerac can develop so many different appellations, it is little The climate of southwestern their own distinctive, individual France is Atlantic-influenced, with practices: Béarn, Gaillac, and wonder that a large and famous region such as Bordeaux has wet winters and springs, warm evolved into 50-odd appellations. It would surely be simpler to Jurançon produce almost every summers, and long, sunny falls. The style of wine imaginable by many have a single Bergerac appellation to which certain villages might vineyards of Cahors, Fronton, and vinification techniques, among them be allowed to add a communal name; if the same logic were Gaillac are subject to the greater the méthode rurale (known locally applied throughout this region, more of its wines could achieve heat but more changeable as the méthode gaillaçoise). characteristics of the Mediterranean. marketing success, rather than attracting only occasional attention Although the winemaking technique in these areas is as hidden bargains. With a more cohesive image and some ASPECT EMostly east- and east-through- generally very modern, the Basque enterprising wineries straddling the many different appellations, to-south-facing slopes, affording district of Irouléguy remains stoutly Southwest France should be at least as exciting as Languedoc- protection from the Atlantic, in a traditional, allowing only the Roussillon has recently become. Flying winemakers have varied countryside that can range introduction of Cabernet Sauvignon from rolling and gently undulating and Cabernet Franc to intrude upon occasionally come to roost here in the past few years, but it will its set ways. take a permanent New World winery for the exciting potential to steep and heavily terraced. of Southwest France to be fully recognized. SOIL GGRAPE VARIETIES DThis collection of diverse areas Abouriou, Arrufiac, Baroque, has, not unexpectedly, a number of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet different soils: sandy-and-calcareous Sauvignon, Camaralet, Castet, RECENT SOUTHWEST FRANCE VINTAGES clay over gravel in the best vineyards Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, of Bergerac; sandy soils on the Côte Cinsault, Clairette, Claret de Gers, Claverie, Colombard, Courbu Blanc, 2003 As elsewhere in France, a vintage that was too hot and too early, de Duras; calcareous and alluvial Courbu Noir, Cruchinet, Duras, Fer, with some reds and late-picked sweet whites the only likely standouts. soils in the côtes of Buzet and Marmandais; gravel-clay and gravel Folle Blanche, Fuella, Gamay, Gros 2002 Good to exceptional quality in Cahors particularly, but also crests over marly bedrock in the Manseng, Jurançon Noir, Lauzet, Len de l'El, Malbec (syn. Cot), Bergerac and Buzet. Variable elsewhere. hilly hinterland of Cahors, and alluvial soils peppered with pebbly Manseng Noir, Mauzac, Mauzac 2001 The best year all around since 1998. quartz, limestone, and gravel over a Rosé, Mérille, Merlot, Milgranet, calcareous bedrock in the Lot Valley; Mouyssaguès, Muscadelle, Négrette, 2000 Good reds, particularly in Madiran, and an excellent year for limestone, clay-and-limestone, and Ondenc, Petit Manseng, Picpoul, sweeter Jurançon. gravel at Gaillac; sandy soils in Pinot Noir, Raffiat, Roussellou, Madiran, Tursan, and Irouléguy; and Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Syrah, 1999 Extremely variable for all styles. stony and sandy soils in Jurançon. Tannat, Ugni Blanc, Valdiguié 230 FRANCE THE APPELLATIONS OF SOUTHWEST FRANCE BÉARN AOC Tour des Gendres • Les Verdots (Les Verdots k3–12 years (20 in exceptional cases) This modest AOC shines in the local Basque selon David Fourtout) tChâteau de Clasou • Château la Caminade area. Wines made in Bellocq, Lahontan, Orthez, (Commandery, Esprit) • Château de Cèdre and Saliès are allowed to add the communal BERGERAC SEC AOC • de la Coustarelle • Croix du Mayne designation Bellocq to the appellation. These white wines are distinguished from (Elevé en Fûts de Chêne) • C. V. Côtes RED Fresh, light, and fruity wines with a good Bergerac Blanc by having to be dry, with no d’Olt • Château Gautoul • des Grauzils • balance, but lacking depth. more than 4 grams per liter of residual sugar.