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.
In the face of rising temperatures and more frequent droughts, what can wine producers do to adapt their viticultural practices? Catalan producer Torres, which has emerged during the past decade as one of the global wine sector’s leading pioneers in tackling climate change, is experimenting with a range of creative ideas. Planting vines at higher altitudes is one option. The company is investing in cooler vineyards high in the mountains of the region. They have planted vines in Tremp at 950m in ...
Despite the lowest number of barrels going under the hammer in 15 years, the 2021 Hospices de Beaune charity auction broke per-barrel price records, reaching an impressive total sales figure of €12.5m (£10.48m/$14.09m), excluding buyer premiums. The total was not too far behind last year’s high tally – close to €13.44 million – where almost double the number of barrels were sold. This year’s sale, with 362 lots, including seven barrels of spirits, reached an average price per lot of €34,980 (£29 ...
Guests at the state dinner hosted by US president Joe Biden for his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Thursday (1 December) were set to enjoy Roederer Estate Brut Rosé sparkling wine, according to menu details reported by Reuters and other US media. While all three wines on the menu have deep roots in California, there were several nods to France. Roederer Estate was founded in Anderson Valley in 1982 by the Rouzaud family of Champagne Louis Roederer, for instance. The two other California w ...
