Tucked into the southwest corner of France, away from the bright lights of Bordeaux, is a patchwork quilt of wine regions worth exploring. Bergerac, Cahors, Gaillac, Irouléguy, Jurançon, Madiran – these are among the regions producing a diversity of styles of wine, including sparkling wines made by ancient methods that predate Champagne.
Maybe you’ve heard of the “black wine” of Cahors, based on Malbec, or the Tannat produced in Madiran. On the other hand, if you’re on the hunt for Bordeaux-grown grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, you can find them in southwest France, too, along with Syrah, Gamay and a host of reds that may sound unfamiliar: Fer Servadou, Prunelard and Négrette. Whites offer their own intrigue, with grapes like Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng, Mauzac and Arrufiac to stir one’s curiosity and whet the appetite.
Winemaking in Southwest France dates to 125 BCE. That’s a lot of history behind each glass of wine.
The French Winophiles are delving into the wines of southwest France in May and chatting about them on Twitter May 21 at 8 am PT/11 am ET. So grab a bottle of wine or simply join in the fun by following the #Winophiles hashtag.
Here are the bloggers posting this month and their titles:
- Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Garlic and Herb-Rubbed Standing Pork Rib Roast + Château Laulerie Bergerac Rosé 2020
- Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles: Fish, cheese, and red wine. Exploring the Basque region of Irouléguy
- Jeff at Food Wine Click!: Deconstructed Tartine & Domaine de L’Astré Pèlroge
- Deanna at Wineivore: Organic Negrette & Manseng Wines from SW France Paired with Southwest Sliders
- Jane at Always Ravenous: Affordable Wines from Southwest France: Tasting & Pairings
- Cindy at Grape Experiences: A Taste of Southwest France: Nature Secrète Saint Mont 2018 and Sauteed Duck Breasts with Mushrooms
- Nicole at Somm’s Table: Encounters with Tour des Gendres Pét-Nat with a Side of Risotto
- Gwendolyn at Wine Predator: Mauzac? SW France’s Domaine du Moulin Features This Unusual Grape in Methode Ancestrale Sparkler
- Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm: Visiting the Wines of Southwest France outside of Bordeaux
- Lynn at Savor the Harvest: Gascony Surprise: Meet Domaine de Joy in Southwest France
- Linda at My Full Wine Glass: Two Tannat-based wines from Southwest France