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.
Raffiat de Moncade is a white Pyrenean grape variety. A descendant of the white gouais, it should not be confused with the arruffiac. This grape variety has truncated cone-shaped bunches of grapes, which are stalked and winged. The raffiat de Moncade was used by the ampelographer Marcel Durquety to obtain new varieties such as perdea, arroba and arriloba. Still called rousselet, the raffiat de Moncade is associated with an early budding in the year and a late maturity of the second period. It has a semi-spreading habit. This variety is quite productive and resists grey rot and powdery mildew quite well. Raffiat de Moncade is used in the vinification of certain wines from Tursan and Béarn. It is used to produce a neutral, fine, high alcohol and warm wine. It is often combined with petit manseng and gros manseng, which give the wines a high acidity.
white wines from the region of Pyrenées go well with generally quite well with dishes of poultry, mushrooms or mild and soft cheese such as recipes of cheeseburger, veal roast casserole with mushrooms or capellini with prosciutto.
On the nose in the region of Pyrenées often reveals types of flavors of citrus, minerality or pear and sometimes also flavors of earth, tree fruit or citrus fruit. In the mouth in the region of Pyrenées is a with a nice freshness.
