Top 100 pink wines of South West

Discover the top 100 best pink wines of South West as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the pink wines that are popular of South West and the best vintages to taste in this region.

Discovering the wine region of South West

The South-West is a large territorial area of France, comprising the administrative regions of Aquitaine, Limousin and Midi-Pyrénées. However, as far as the French wine area is concerned, the South-West region is a little less clear-cut, as it excludes Bordeaux - a wine region so productive that it is de facto an area in its own right. The wines of the South West have a Long and eventful history. The local rivers play a key role, as they were the main trade routes to bring wines from traditional regions such as Cahors, Bergerac, Buzet and Gaillac to their markets.

The last Trading post before the wines left for the lucrative markets of Britain was the wine town and port of Bordeaux. Britain has been a historic trading partner for the region, which was nominally British for a period following the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine to Henry II of Britain. However, Bordeaux businessmen saw the wines in transit as competition for their own local products and took strong measures to ensure their financial security. The result is the French wine map we know today, with Bordeaux being promoted and the other wine regions of the South West struggling to gain recognition for the diversity and Character of their wines.

This history also explains why the Bordeaux Grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc are now three of the best-known grape varieties in the world, while traditional South West grapes such as Fer Servadou, Len de l'El and Tannat are relatively unknown.

Discover the grape variety: Cabernet franc

Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest red grape varieties in Bordeaux. The Libourne region is its terroir where it develops best. The terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Fronsac allow it to mature and develop its best range of aromas. It is also the majority in many blends. The very famous Château Cheval Blanc, for example, uses 60% Cabernet Franc. The wines produced with Cabernet Franc are medium in colour with fine tannins and subtle aromas of small red fruits and spices. When blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings complexity and a bouquet of aromas to the wine. It produces fruity wines that can be drunk quite quickly, but whose great vintages can be kept for a long time. It is an earlier grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means that it is planted as far north as the Loire Valley. In Anjou, it is also used to make sweet rosé wines. Cabernet Franc is now used in some twenty countries in Europe and throughout the world.

Food and wine pairing with a pink wine of South West

pink wines from the region of South West go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or spicy food such as recipes of alsatian bäckeoffe, leg of lamb in braillouse or mahi mahi curry with coconut milk.

Organoleptic analysis of pink wine of South West

On the nose in the region of South West often reveals types of flavors of peach, vanilla or smoke and sometimes also flavors of watermelon, minerality or tropical fruit. In the mouth in the region of South West is a with a nice freshness.

News from the vineyard of South West

Palladius and Columella verticals: Eben Sadie’s Swartland flagships

The rapid rise of South Africa’s Swartland wine region over the past 20 years has been thrilling to watch. And arguably the most influential winemaker during this renaissance has – and continues to be – Eben Sadie. Sadie was in London recently for a vertical tasting of his flagship wines, the red blend Columella and white blend Palladius. He explained to a rapt audience of critics, buyers and sommeliers how his approach to winemaking has changed over the years, and revealed how he’s preparing fo ...

Bollinger Group purchases Sancerre estate Hubert Brochard

The Champagne house expanded into the region when it acquired Maison Langlois-Chateau in Saumur back in 1973. It then bolstered its presence in Sancerre with the acquisition of Château de Thauvenay in 2016. Now it has tied up a deal to bring the family-run Hubert Brochard estate into the fold. ‘The acquisition of Hubert Brochard estate represents a unique opportunity to consolidate our footprint in this fantastic region and to continue to promote, in France and internationally, its savoir-faire ...

Decanter magazine latest issue: August 2022

Inside the August 2022 issue of Decanter Magazine: FEATURES Bordeaux 2021 en primeur First look at a tricky vintage to judge – full insight and 80 top wines to buy, selected by Decanter’s Georgie Hindle Greece Why Olly Smith loves it Sancerre’s best slope? Les Monts Damnés with Andy Howard MW Pétillant naturel: a Decanter guide for beginners By Natalie Earl LEARNING Wine wisdom Expert tips to help you on your journey through wine Read the new issue in full on the Decanter Premium app Unl ...