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.
Négrette noir is a grape variety that originated in France (South West). It produces a variety of grape specially used for wine making. It is rare to find this grape to eat on our tables. This variety of grape is characterized by small bunches, and grapes of small to medium size. Négrette noir can be found in several vineyards: South-West, Cognac, Bordeaux, Loire Valley, Armagnac, Languedoc & Roussillon, Provence & Corsica, Rhone Valley, Savoie & Bugey, Beaujolais.
red wines from the region of South West go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or poultry such as recipes of pasta bolognese, pizza queen with merguez or chicken on a bed of summer vegetables.
On the nose in the region of South West often reveals types of flavors of cherry, slate or dark chocolate and sometimes also flavors of pepper, balsamic or black olive. In the mouth in the region of South West is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
The tireless Louis-Fabrice Latour was the 11th generation of his family to lead the company, which was founded in 1797. He passed away on 5 September 2022 at the age of 58 following a battle with cancer, survived by his wife Patricia, their four children and his three siblings. The board has now appointed his brother, Florent, to lead the company forward into a new era. ‘We miss my brother – the man and the leader,’ said Florent. ‘He marked Maison Latour and Burgundy, and we measure everything w ...
Every year the hospitality industry holds its breath as the revised line up of the Michelin Guide is announced. A star won – or lost – is often a pivotal moment in the consolidation of a venue’s name and the reputation of the chef, sommelier and restaurateurs behind it. Yesterday, February 16th, the Michelin Stars were unveiled for this year’s Michelin Great Britain & Ireland Guide, with 19 restaurants having been newly awarded a star, bringing the total number of one starred restaurants in ...
The historic estate follows in the footsteps of Châteaux Angélus, Cheval Blanc and Ausone by withdrawing its candidacy from the upcoming classification. The Malet-Roquefort family, which has owned Château La Gaffelière for more than 300 years, said it ‘no longer recognises its values’ in the new criteria. The Malet-Roqueforts claimed that the overhauled rating system for the tasting ‘contradicts all the ratings obtained by Château La Gaffelière for several years by the greatest wine professional ...
