To see the vineyard of Sud-Ouest, click here:
It is very difficult to associate all the wines of this region
under the same naming, because wines are there very different. One distinguishes
nevertheless two groups: wines of the Garonne (Bergerac, Gaillac) and wines of
Adour (Irrouléguy, Jurançon). The history of wines of the Garonne is associated
to that some wines of Bordeaux. Indeed, it was necessary to wait that the
production of Bordeaux is sold so that the traders of Bordeaux are interested in
these wines.
On the other hand, their unity is made by the typicity of the
traditional vines which were preserved and developed (mauzac and négrette
for example).
Production and naming
For more light, it is necessary to resume every naming in its detail because they have each their appropriate characteristics.
Cahors:
Cahors is a traditional vineyard of gallo-Roman origin which
almost disappeared in 1956 because of a terrible frost which has reduced
almost totality of surfaces. Today, the vineyard extends over 4100 hectares in
the valley of the Lot.
Wines arise from the vine auxerrois, associated with
the tannat and the merlot. There are powerful and sturdy wines which can be nurse's
wines even if at present, the tendency is for the production of young wines.
Bergerac:
Bergerac's region which includes several naming
Bergerac, Montravel, Pécharmant, Montbazillac...) is the second producing region
of the southwest, behind Bordeaux. It includes all the types of
wines (red, pinkish and dry whites or softness).
Gaillac:
Gaillac's vineyard extends over 2500 hectares crossed by the
Tarn. The calcareous hillsides are favorable to the white vines (mauzac,
sauvignon and muscadelle) whereas plains are planted by red vines (lasted,
braucol, syrah, gamay, etc.).
White wines represent about 50000 hectolitres
with dry wines and moëlleux; red (75000 hectolitres) are typified and of nurse
with also rosé wines fresh and easy to drink.
Madiran:
Madiran is known since the gallo-Roman time; this vineyard of the Gers extends over 1200 hectares with a majority vine, the tannat. Madiran's traditional wines are nurse's vines (thanks to the tannat) while an adequate wine making allows to drink them younger.
Buzet:
Buzet's vineyard is known since Moyen-Age but the crisis of the philloxéra had removed it completely. The vineyard extends over the first hillsides of the Garonne. Traditionally, Buzet's wines are red, produced on varied grounds (boulbènes, argilo-limestones) but it also exists a production in white and pinkish wines.
Fronton
Close to Toulouse, this very former vineyard found after
reconstruction, is made with traditional plantations with the négrette,
the cot which are associated with the Cabernet - sauvignon, the iron, the syrah
and notably the mauzac.
Vineyards are cultivated on the hillsides of the Tarn
on grounds of boulbènes or engrave(burn). The more wines are rich it négrette,
the more they are tanniques and the powerful; the majority of wines are red but
there are some rosé wines.
Jurançon:
Jurançon became famous with the baptism of Henri IVth.
Reconstituted after the crisis of the philloxéra, the vineyard only in white
vine is planted of big and small maseng as well as of courbu.
The vineyard is
divided between dry white wine (75 %) and white wine moœlleux, stemming from a
surmaturation.
Irouléguy:
Irouléguy is the only still existing Basque vineyard and it extends over three municipalities (Saint-Etienne-de-Baïgorry, Irouléguy and Anhaux). Vines are essentially the Cabernet - sauvignon, the Cabernet - francs and tannat for red, courbu, big and small maseng for the whites.
The wine bio in the Southwest
About 500 hectares are cultivated in wine bio by 80 developers (with an increase of 90 % with regard to 1998).
Caution : the alcohol abuse is dangerous for health
Contact webmaster : vinbio@free.fr