Between the Landes forest, the Garonne and the Pyrenees, the Gascony hillsides cover the Gers dePartment and part of the Landes and Lot-et-Garonne departments. The vineyards occupy the same area as Armagnac, a brandy still produced in the region, but whose volumes have declined in favour of vins de pays (now PGI). Under the influence of a mild oceanic Climate, it is fairly wet in the west, drier in the east, especially in summer. In the west, the subsoil of tawny sands is of marine origin, covered with boulbènes; in the east, it gradually gives way to molasse, a rock resulting from the erosion of the Pyrenees.
The soils are either stony and chalky (peyrusquets) or clayey and Deep (terrefort), retaining water well. The Condom region, the driest, has its own name (Condomois). The main Grape varieties cultivated are white: Colombard and Ugni blanc, the varieties of armagnac. Generally associated, sometimes completed by Sauvignon and Chardonnay, they give lively white wines with an exuberant fruitiness.
Tannat is a red grape variety from Béarn which belongs to the cotoïdes family. Present in several vineyards of France, it occupies nearly 3,000 ha. Its leaves are reddish with tan patches. Its bunches are either of normal size or larger. Its berries have a thin skin and are rounded. Its foliage has a swarthy appearance. This variety must be pruned long because it is vigorous. It likes sandy and gravelly soils. Tannat is often exposed to leafhoppers and mites. It is also somewhat susceptible to grey rot. It has 11 approved clones, including 474, 717 and 794. Once mature, this variety produces acidic, fruity, tannic, acidic and full-bodied wines. Various aromas emerge, notably tobacco, cinnamon and exotic wood. Tannat is rarely used alone. It is combined with iron-servadou to obtain a fruitier taste or with cabernet sauvignon to be more rounded.
red wines from the region of Gascogne go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or pork such as recipes of marinated shrimp skewers with garlic, gypsy sauce or savoyard pizza (cream base).
On the nose in the region of Gascogne often reveals types of flavors of black fruit, leather or mint and sometimes also flavors of non oak, earth or oak. In the mouth in the region of Gascogne is a powerful with a lot of tannins present in the mouth.
