If you are a fan of Muscat wines then Perpignan (66 Pyrenees-Orientales, Languedoc-Roussillon) should be your destination from 31 January – 2 February 2009 with the Rencontres Mediterraneenes du Muscat (Mediterranean Muscat’s Convention).

Open to the public, the event offers culinary and wine-tasting workshops and the opportunity to taste a range of Muscat wines and Vins Doux Naturels (fortified wines) including St Jean de Minervois, Lunel, Rivesaltes, Frontignan and Mireval in the Languedoc, Beaumes de Venise in Provence, Cap Corse in Corsica and Samos in Greece.

The Muscat grape in its various guises tends to produce wines with the most obviously “grapey” taste, and they are usually sweet or dessert wines , such as the local Muscat de Rivesaltes. However a dry style is produced in Alsace and some domaines in the Languedoc (under the Vin de Pays d’Oc label)

For more info see www.rencontres-muscat.com

For more info on Perpignan see www.perpignantourisme.com

La Barre et le Clos de la Barre.
Les Casse-Tête.
Les Charrons.
Les Chevalières.
Les Clous.
Les Corbins.
Les Criots.
Le Cromin.
Le Limosin.
Les Luchets.
Les Marcausses.
Le Meix-Chavaux.
Les Millerands.
La Monatine.
Le Murger-de-Monthelie.
Les Narvaux.
Les Pellans.
Les Pelles.
Le Pré-de- Manche.
Les Rougeots.
Les Terres-Blanches.
Les Tessons.
Les Tillets.
La Velle.
Les Vireuils.

For more info see http://www.ot-meursault.fr/meursault/fr/lemeursault.htm

Cheverny Blanc AC Domaine des Huards 2001
A delightful and successful blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay – great grassy crispness from the Sauvignon augmented by the rich smoothness of the Chardonnay. Made from 20+ year old vines combining gooseberry, elderflower, grassy Sauvignon fruit with lime blossom floral tones. Ripe fruit with fresh acidity.
2** stars in the Guide Hachette des Vins de France 2007
Reviewed in ANDYS SCRIBBLINGS: “A superbly interesting aroma – very floral with a gravel path edge. These aromas are duplicated on the medium-bodied palate. The Chardonnay component supplies a peachy quality with the cool climate origins revealing themselves in the high/crisp acidity. Scribblings Rating – 88/100″

Cour Cheverny AC Cuvée Francois I Domaine des Huards 2001
Old Vine Romorantin. Unique in France this appellation uses only the ROMORANTIN Grape. This cuvée is produced from vines aged over 50 years old – the earliest planted in 1922! Hence the yields are low and this lends enhanced concentration to the wine. It has a pure and very fresh refined bouquet. Big in the mouth, with tones of lime, butter and fresh walnuts! It is long lasting in the mouth On harvesting one-third of the wine is left in contact with the skins for 15 hours to extract tannin and minerals. After fermentation the wine is left on some of the lees for 5 months and bottled without filtration.”exotic with spice, apricot, ginger, lychee and grapefruit zest. Tangy and long in the mouth with a creamy texture amd a spicy,floral, biscuity finish.”
Recommended in the Guide Hachette des Vins de France 2007.
Reviewed in ANDYS SCRIBBLINGS: “A good lightly brushed golden hue with a really interesting aroma. The palate is quite taught and minerally – austere almost, but there is a nice weight and some lemony-stony fruited flavours. The old vines used here have certainly played their part in imparting complexity and quality. Good Length too. Scribblings Rating – 88/100 ”

The proclaimed aim of the French wine appellations is to safeguard both the geographic origins of specific wines, and to control their “typicity” but restricting the grape varieties which may be used for a particular wine, and sometimes even requiring a minimum or maximum percentage of specified grape varietals. It is also claimed that this provides a quality guarantee, but that is questionable. However, you can be confident that, for example, a Cahors AC wine will have been produced in a specified area around the town of Cahors, and that it will contain at least 70% Malbec (locally known as Cot or Auxerrois), the other permitted grapes being Tannat, Merlot and Jurancon Noir. There will also be some restrictions on yield (hectolitres per hectare), maturity (sugar) levels, and approved methods of pruning etc. That said, there is a wide variation in quality in this and most other appellations, but there will be some limited consistency in style, due to the grape varieties and climatic conditions. In many ways the AC system is probably designed more to protect the authenticity and provenance of the wine, than to serve the needs of the consumer. (AC status started originally to prevent producers or merchants calling their wine “Nuits St Georges”, or “Champagne” or “Chateauneuf-du-Pape” when there was no connection whatever with those places.)

There are various levels of presumed quality:-

Vin de Table – few restrictions – can be blended from different regions, even different countries within the EU – usually basic wine.

Vin de Pays – probably the most widely seen label – especially from the Languedoc (Vin de Pays d’Oc) – restricted to specified, but often large geographical areas (e.g.Loire Valley) with few restrictions on grape varieties, but some control on yield and sugar levels. As such it includes many reasonable wines – and some gems because growers have used the relative freedom to produce wines which do not conform to the traditional style.

VDQS - Vins Délimité de Qualité Superieure – an Appellation Controllée but with wider limits on grape selection and viticulture than AC – generally used as a transitional stage between Vin de Pays and full AC – allowing producers to improve their techniques and to converge their approach.

Appellation d’Origine Controllée (AC or AoC) the strict control of many aspects of the wine production process, sometimes involving a “tasting” panel – but as this is administered locally it is unlikely to apply a very high threshold.

In Bordeaux and Burgundy there are further classifications – generally the more specific the AC name, the more limited are the producer’s options.

A cynic would suggest that the system relies more on political influence than on quality or character distinctiveness. I suspect few experts could consistently differentiate between the 14 appellations in Beaujolais, where every wine is made solely from the Gamay grape – and yet it was only a few years ago that the 14th was added – Regnié.

For the consumer the AC system does offer a limited indication of style and quality, but increasingly it is worth finding individual producers who make consistently good and interesting wines, regardless of the AC level. There are undoubtedly some fabulous Vins de Pays which outshine more prestigious AC wines, and often at a lower price.

However, the French system of wine control is excessively bureaucratic and slow to adapt. It would help consumers and producers immeasurably if an indication of grape variety could be included on the label, rather than arrogantly assuming that everyone knows that Vouvray is made from Chenin Blanc, or Madiran is mainly Tannat! There are suggestions of changes in Bordeaux, forced on it by poor sales (and often disappointing quality), but elsewhere the old regime prevails!

Whilst there are still some complacent French wine makers around who rely on the name of the wine to sell it, there are many committed and exciting winemakers throughout France making tremendously good wines – see Andrew Jefford’s recent book “The New France” for confirmation and masses of good writing about the new wine landscape of France. Go back

New Appellations

Côtes de Bordeaux AC (see above)

Beaumes de Venise AC – Reds in the Southern Rhone

Saint Sardos VDQS – was a Vin de Pays in Midi-Pyrenees south of Montauban and Fronton.

Vins De Pays d’Atlantique is expected to include all grape varieties from the Charente, Dordogne, Lot et Garonne and Gironde – and potentially the Pays Basque (from 2006)

Fronton AC is the new name for what was known as the “Côtes du Frontonnais” in SW France, near Montauban.

Download a pocket guide to French wines here

Found as a single varietal in the famous whites of the Loire – Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé (plus Quincy , Reuilly and Menetou-Salon) the highly aromatic Sauvignon Blanc also forms part of the white blends of Bordeaux. The wines are noted for their piercing acidity and aromas of gooseberries and cut grass. The grape also used in the sweet wines of Bordeaux, often softened with the use of Semillon.

Zesty, fresh lemons and very dry,grassy finish.
Best with Seafood, creamy pasta dishes, goat’s cheese

Sauvignon Blanc – Found in Loire, Bordeaux , South West France

As a grape it tends to be soft and fruity, and sometimes lacking in acidity – which is one reason why it works well when blended with the more acidic Sauvignon Blanc in Bordeaux, Bergerac etc
Semillon is an easy-drinking white grape with lime and creamy toasty flavours
Goes with white fish, light chicken dishes
Semillon Found in Bordeaux and South West France

One of the three most widely seen varieties both in France and across the world. Its French home is the fine wine lands of the Medoc and Graves in Bordeaux , where it is generally blended with other varieties such as Merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon is very reliable for ageing, more often improving into a truly great wine than any other single varietal. With age, it’s distinctive blackcurrant aroma can develop bouquet nuances of cedar, violets, leather, or cigar box and its typically tannic edge may soften and smooth considerably. It is also grown across the south of the country in the Languedoc producing single varietal wines or again blended. The variety is renowned for it structure, longevity (if of sufficient quality) and for its ability to demonstrate “terroir” characteristics. It has a particular affinity with oak and offers flavours of blackcurrants.

Cabernet Sauvignon the noble red grape producing rich, blackcurrant-loaded red wines – other keywords include capsicum, cedar, vanilla and coffee!

CABERNET SAUVIGNON offers a wide range of aromas and flavours. It tends
towards herbaceousness when not fully ripe with capsicum and grassy undertones, but
as it ripens it develops flavours of blackcurrant. It goes well with oak which lends secondary characters with a range of vanilla, cedar, sandalwood,tobacco, coffee, musk and spicy notes.
Best with roast red meats, mature hard cheeses
Cabernet Sauvignon: grown in Bordeaux , Loire , Languedoc -Rousillon, Bergerac, Buzet, Marmandais, Frontonnais, Gaillac, Madiran and Vins de Pays.

PRODUCTEURS PLAIMONT. We generally prefer to work with smaller individual domaines, but the Plaimont co-operative is streets ahead of other co-ops – producing excellent and distinctive wines of consistent quality at keen prices. It has had the benefit of good management and leadership, which has ensured that, unlike many co-operatives, it does not work at the comfort level of the weakest members. Instead it has been visionary and innovative, and most importantly places the highest emphasis on wine quality.

The epic story of the Côtes de Saint-Mont vineyards began in the fourth century BC, when the first plants were imported by the Greeks. It is thus one of the oldest vineyards in France. Then one witnessed an important development from 1050 with the founding of the Saint-Mont Abbey by Benedictine monks. The monks were particularly interested by an area already colonised by the vine. The ‘crus’ developed and these ‘fine wines from Gascony’ were exported to the United Kingdom as early as the 14th century. Today the appellation Côtes de Saint-Mont stretches over 49 villages in the Gers. Wines are considered as ‘discovery wines’ or ‘terroir wines’ and are experiencing a promising revival. As far back as the 11th Century the arrival of Benedictine monks (from the Abbey de Marcillac in Burgundy) helped to improve the wines of the area, and being on one of the roads to Santiago de Compostella they quickly acquired a reputation

In the heart of Gascony (Gascogne) the landscape is of gently rolling hills with good soil and exposure to the sun. The climate is gentle and ideal for maturing grapes in late season. VDQS is the abbreviation for VIN DÉLIMITÉ DE QUALITÉ SUPERIEURE – a classification which is slightly more generous than full Appellation Controllée (AC) status. As such it is a guarantee that the wines come from a small specific geographical area, and must contain certain minimum percentages of specified grape varieties (usually traditional to the area), and hence conform broadly to a particular style, However, there is more flexibility for the winemaker in yields and the addition of other grape varieties in the blend. We like to think of them mainly as Very Delicious Quaffing Selections, but are also capable of producing some really fine and serious wines. This is another example of the French classification system becoming less relevant, as all three wines which we stock from the Côtes de St Mont are much better than many other wines we have tasted which are classified as “Appellation Controllée! PRODUCTEURS PLAIMONT. We generally prefer to work with smaller individual domaines, but the Plaimont co-operative is streets ahead of other co-ops – producing excellent and distinctive wines of consistent quality at keen prices. It has had the benefit of good management and leadership, which has ensured that, unlike many co-operatives, it does not work at the comfort level of the weakest members. Instead it has been visionary and innovative, and most importantly places the highest emphasis on wine quality. At the moment this is the only co-operative with which we work. PLAIMONT is a concocted word made from the towns of Plaisance, Aignan, and St Mont, the 3 caves (cellars) of the co-operative. Floc de Gascogne are all produced in this region Côtes de St Mont, Les Vignes Rétrouvées (dry white) Côtes de St Mont VDQS, Les Vignes Retrouvees (red) Côtes de St Mont VDQS,Chateau de Sabazan 1998 (red) Côtes de Gascogne (Vins de Pays) wines also come from this area See our new selection of duck and goose products from the South West – foie gras, confits, cassoulet Hachette Vacances: South West France and the Dordogne Hachette Vacances: South West France and the Dordogne – save 20% on this book CLICK HERE

The New France by Andrew Jefford Save 20%. Andrew Jefford has travelled extensively in each of France’s 14 wine regions to investigate the personalities and producers who have masterminded the resurgence of the French wine industry. His views support our own assertion that France is producing some classy wines, often from beyond the traditionally high profile and expensive “fine” wine regions.CLICK HERE

Our selected books on France, French wine, French food and maps & guides

PEYLOUBERE – ACCOMODATION – SW FRANCE PEYLOUBERE – Gers, South West France Self-Catering Cottages and Bed & Breakfast Accommodation in a listed 17th Century domaine in Gascony – 35 acres, lakes, pool and Spa Ideal location for visiting Madiran, Jurancon, Côtes de St Mont, Côtes de Gascogne, Armagnac, Floc de Gascogne vineyards