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| August 14, 2008 |
The two appellations of Madiran AC (red) and Pacherenc du Vic Bilh AC (white) were created in 1948, and will be celebrating n July and August 2008.
These 2 appellations are typical of the South West of France - producing distinctively different styles of wine from lesser-known grape varieties - predominantly Tannat for the Madiran, Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng for the usually sweet Pacherenc-du-Vic Bilh. These are not necessaily “fashionable” wines but they are interesting, characterful, honest wines, which are no longer just rustic curiousities. Modern wine-making techniques enable skilled winemakers to produce more approachable wines whilst retaining the essential character which distinguishes them from the mainstream.
Didier Barre produces wonderfully rich and smooth Madiran at Domaine Berthoumieu - his sweet Pacherenc is a delicious, complex perfumed dessert wine. Another top producer is the Laplace family at Chateau d’Aydie.
The excellent co-operative Producteurs Plaimont produces good examples of the regions wines.
In August the Fete des Vins de Madiran takes place on the weekend of 14 and 15 August 2008 in the village of Madiran (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees).
From 4-14 July there are a series of events to celebrate, including daily “introduction to wine tasting” sessions at the Maison des Vins in Madiran, guided walks amongst the vineyards, music and barbecues - see www.civso.com (in French).
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The departement of Gers (32 Midi-Pyrenees) in the heart of Gascony has built a reputation for creating its musical summer festivals – principally the internationally renowned Jazz in Marciac (1–17 August 2008) and Tempo Latino (24–27 July 2008) in Vic Fezensac.
These otherwise quiet small towns vibrate with music, and the streets are filled with people – and the events are also sponsored by the Cotes de St Mont VDQS wine co-operative (Plaimont) just to ensure that the atmosphere is convivial.
AMongst tge artists appearing at Marciac are Diana Krall and Herbie Hancock, whilst Tempo Latino has a latin jazz theme.
| July 26, 2008 |
The Vignerons Independants (independent wine makers) of the Vins de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne hold their annual wine festival in the town of Eauze (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees) on 26 July 2008. More than 50 winemakers will be offering tastings. The Cotes de Gascogne is best known for making light fruity whites wines (90% of the production), typically from Colombard or Ugni Blanc grapes, but there are also some good Sauvignon Blancs and Gros Manseng.
However, many winemakers will also produce Armagnac and Floc de Gascogne which are also based on Colombard and Ugni Blanc grapes. Floc de Gascogne is a blend of unfermented grape juice and Armagnac which served chilled is a refreshing aperitif, available in white and rose styles.
Jancis Robinson in the Financial Times (12 May 08) talks about the growing number of Brits who have followed their dream and bought a vineyard in France.
It is hardly surprising then that a substantial proportion of the hundreds of thousands of Brits who own French property have been tempted by the apparently bucolic life of a vigneron……
Are there any French winemakers left down there?
I asked Walter McKinlay, whose Domaine de Mourchon southern Rhône wines are some of the most successful from a British domaine, whether his Domaine de Mourchon wines were financially viable. He frowned. “Just about,” he said cautiously, then smiled. “But it’s a lovely lifestyle though.”
My own observation would be that it can be incredibly hard work and despite the attractions of the climate, landscape and the French way of life, it can also be very stressful. And as with all winemakers, a bad harvest, particularly in the early years can be devastating.
So, here’s our list of British vineyard owners (and 1 Irish couple) - that we are aware of (not an exhaustive list I am sure). Visits can be much more informative if the language is no barrier:-
Domaine de Laroux - Cotes de Gascogne, Armagnac (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees) - Nick and Karen Kitchener
Chateau Haut Garrigue - Bergerac, Saussignac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - Sean and Caroline Feely (the Irish couple running an organic vineyard also known as Wild Earth Vineyards)
Domaine de Fontenay - Cote Roannaise AC (42 Loire, Rhone-Alpes) - Simon and Isabelle Hawkins
Chateau Richard - Bergerac, Saussignac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - Richard Doughty
Domaine de Merchien - Coteaux du Quercy and beer! (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees - David & Sarah Meakin
Clos d’Yvigne - Cotes de Bergeac, Saussignac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - Patricia Atkinson
Chateau des Milles Anges - Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, Cadillac AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Heather van Ekris
Chateau Lezongars - Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux, Bordeaux AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Philip and Sarah Iles
Chateau Teyssier - Saint Emilion Grand Cru AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Jonathan and Lyn Maltus
Chateau de Sours - Bordeaux AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Esme & Sara Johnson
Domaine Gourdon - Cotes de Duras AC (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine) - John Coulthard
Domaine du Grand Mayne - Cotes de Duras AC (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine) - Andrew Gordon
Domaine de Begude - Limoux AC (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) - Catherine and James Kinglake
Domaine de Mourchon - Cotes du Rhone Seguret AC (84 Vaucluse, Provence) - Walter McKinley
Maison des Bulliats - Regnie AC Beaujolais (69 Rhone, Rhone-Alpes) - Fred and Helen Lockwood
Chateau Méaume - Bordeaux Superieure AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Alan and Sue Johnson-Hill
Domaine a Sauvageonne - Coteaux du Languedoc AC, Vin de Pays d’Oc (34 Herault, Languedoc - Roussillon) - Gavin Crisfield
Domaine Sainte Rose - Vin de Pays d’Oc (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon) - Charles and Ruth Simpson
Chateau Bauduc - Bordeaux AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Gavin and Angela Quinney
Domaine Sainte Croix - Corbieres AC (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) - Jon & Elizabeth Bowen
Chateau Monplaisir - Bergerac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - David and Helen Baxter
| April 2, 2009 | to | April 4, 2009 |
The extraordinarily rich musical traditions of this otherwise quiet and peaceful part of rural France kick off the season with the Festival of Bandas & Penas in the town of Condom (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees) on 2-4 May 2008.
The Festival website suggests this is a noisy and popular weekend with bands competing from all over France until late in the eveing - or early in the morning - crowding into the main square to hear, sing, dance and drink - it does sound tremendous fun!
There is a clear connection with wine - 3 of the bands reflect this in their names e.g. In Vino Veritas from Monestier, Dordogne - home of Chateau Grinou Bergerac Wines; Bodega Banda from the Loiret; and the local Les Trous Gascons (usually a prune and Armagnac concoction!)
The title of the event reflects the Basque influence on this area - as far as I can tell the “Penas” comes from the Flamenco dancing clubs in Spain.
Nearby you can check out the wines of Plaimont, the wines and accommodation at Domaine de Lauroux and a classy B&B (Chambres d’Hote) near Auch.
The heart of Gascony the Gers département (32 Midi-Pyrenees) offers what I consider to be the real “France profonde” - quiet, peaceful, gently rolling countryside with a distant view of the Pyrenees. You are miles away from the turbulence of the city and its traffic and fumes. The only very ocassional reminder is a speeding jet of the French Air Force and the high vapour trails of planes crossing the continent.
Yet this does not have to be a rural scene without modern facilities, nor without careful design and style as you will discover at the B&B Chambres d’Hote Les Chenes Verts de Gascogne:
Our Bed and Breakfast is a large restored 17th century gascony stone farmhouse set in 3 hectares of garden with four ensuite bedrooms and swimming pool. Situated in beautiful countryside with outstanding views, surrounded by vines and ideally placed for visiting the many historical sites, tasting the wines and armagnac at the local domaines, shopping at the local markets, visiting the Thermal Spa, house hunting or just lazing by the pool in its tranquil setting.
Here Julie-Ann and her family have magnificently restored an old stone farmhouse into a comfortable and elegant place to stay, with four ensuite bedrooms - 3 with kingsize beds and 1 with twin double beds. Outside there is 12mx6m swimming pool, a garden with covered shaded terrace and wonderful views over the countryside (see photos)
Although somewhat isolated from hustle and bustle (situated north west of Auch at Bezolles) there is nevertheless plenty to do in the region - follow the traces of the Three Musketeers and d’Artagnan, explore the charming towns and their markets or go wine- or Armagnac-hunting!
The house is surrounded by the vines of Domaine Camp du Haut producers of Madiran and Armagnac and Julie-Ann can introduce you to the owners of the Domaine for a tasting - and at least you could walk back afterwards!
In addition they have a very good and elegant website which offers online booking - see www.leschenesvertsdegascogne.com
Les Chenes Verts De Gascogne, la Bourdette, Gers France 32310
T:00 33 562 28 90 50 F: 00 33 562 29 28 51
see our map and more info on the area
cforms contact form by delicious:days
For more info and photos click Read more on this…
A personal favourite, Domaine Berthomieu is a small domaine (26 hectares) in the village of Viella (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees), in the north of the Madiran appellation. The domaine has been in the family since 1850 and Didier Barré is the 6th generation to own and run the domaine. Didier is a real enthusiast, passionate about his wines and respectful of the traditional character of the wine. The wines offer tremendous character and style, some of the best in the appellation. We were proud to submit his Madiran AC Cuvée Charles de Batz to the Wine Magazine International Wine Challenge, where it won a Gold Medal!
The domaine has two different plots - one on a pebbly, clay plateau to the west of the village facing south towards the Pyrenees, and the other a gravelly slope facing south east to the east of the village.
Many of the vines on the estate are between 40 and 100 years old. These older vines yield fewer grapes, but their long roots will extract more mineral character and trace elements.
See map location of Domaine Berthoumieu at Viella
He has a very good website at www.domaine-berthoumieu.com. Really well-presented with good photos, a lexicon of wine terms, details of the wines etc - but sadly only in French.
Amongst the things which caught my eye was a highly unusual red dessert wine , a”Vin de Liqueur” called TANATIS - made from late harvested (end of October) grapes. These are 100% Tannat (the Madiran grape) from vines which are more than 50 years old. After 10 days of maceration to extract colour and tannins from the flesh, skin and pips, the fermentation is prematurely stopped by the addition of spirit alcohol - in the same manner as the making of Port. This stops the conversion of sugar into alcohol and hence retains a natural sweetness in the wine. After ageing for 8 months in oak barrels it is bottled quite young, but it is claimed it will last up to 15 years in bottle. The tasting notes suggest highly concentrated flavours of wild berries, black berries and a touch of prunes. The French of course suggest it as an aperitif, but I prefer the idea of it accompanying a Chocolate Tart.
Tanatis - Vin de Liqueur du Sud Ouest from Domaine Berthoumieu.
For something rather less unusual, but an excellent white dessert wine - his Pacherenc du Vic Bilh “Symphonie d’Automne” is a stunner.
Gers (32 Midi-Pyrenees) is a land rich in history (Three Musketeers), rolling countryside and home to Armagnac, Madiran, Côtes de St Mont and Côtes de Gascogne wines. It is predominantly quiet and rural with few major towns or through routes. Hence its weekly markets tend to be really good with lots of top quality local produce on sale - and a real atmosphere of deepest France. I can particularly recommend Nogara - where the Saturday market tends to take over the town, and Auch where the range of produce is impressive.
The information here is provided in good faith, but do bear in mind that some markets may not take place every week, and sometimes not at all outside the summer season. Its always best to check with the local tourist office - or with locals.
In deepest Gascony, an English couple Karen and Nick Kitchener bought a vineyard producing Cotes de Gascogne wines and Armagnac at Domaine de Lauroux at Manciet (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees).
The domaine offers both gite and Bed and Breakfast accommodation surrounded by the vines.
For more info see http://www.lauroux.com
| March 23, 2007 | to | March 25, 2007 |
If you are in SouthWest France towards the end of March, you’d do well to get down to deepest Gascony for the open doors weekend of the Plaimont Co-operative for the St Mont festival(32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees - see map) from 23-25 March 2007. Here you can taste and buy Madiran (red), Pacherenc du Vic Billh (dessert white). Cotes de St Mont VDQS (red, white and rose), Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne. You’ll get to meet and talk to the winemakers and get a good deal on any purchases - e.g 6 bottles for the price of 4.
Now this is really deepest France - overwhelmingly rural and agricultural - gently rolling hills, no major towns or main roads - quiet, peaceful. few people, sleepy villages - and yet for some reason the Gers departement manages to host some mainstream events, such as the annual summer Jazz Festival in Marciac (August), a funky salsa festival of music and dance in Tempo Latino at Vic Fezensac in July (where there is also a Whitsun Bull-running festival (Feria)) and numerous celebrations around wine throughout the year. The Gersois are intensely proud of their tradtions, ably demonstrated by the Plaimont co-op where quality and tradtion come together so well.
For more info on Plaimont see www.plaimont.com
For dates of the other events see www.frenchduck.com/webcal
