Southwest

The Southwest region

Southwest France is a very large region, producing wines of character and often offering excellent value for money. Each of the 22 appellations has its own terroir and one or more specific or indigenous grape varieties: Négrette, Tannat, Malbec, Manseng, Mauzac, Fer-Servadu.

The South-West region has several production areas around its capital Toulouse: the foothills of the Massif Central with Marcillac , Cahors , and Gaillac ; the middle Garonne with Fronton ; the Bergeracois and the Duras with Montravel , Bergerac and Monbazillac ; and the Pyrenean foothills with Jurançon , Madiran , Pacherenc de Vic Bihl , Irouléguy and Saint-Mont .

All these appellations sometimes offer sparkling wines, rosés, dry or sweet whites, and reds that are sometimes light or age-worthy. There is no classification for wines from Southwest France . Therefore, the Cavissima selection focuses on the best producers of age-worthy wines from this region; wines that call for foie gras, game, cassoulet, and duck in all its forms.

Madiran

The Madiran appellation spans three departments: Gers, Hautes-Pyrénées, and Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The main grape variety is Tannat , which can be blended with Cabernet Sauvignon . The vineyards lie on clay-limestone and siliceous soil mixed with fine gravel. The wines are powerful and structured, with excellent aging potential. Among the renowned producers, one can note the brilliant Alain Brumont , owner of Château Montus and Château Bouscassé – a proponent of biodynamic farming and agroforestry, who produces wines often called the Petrus of Madiran.

Cahors

The wines of the Cahors appellation are dedicated to Malbec . The vineyards are planted on terraces overlooking the Lot River. The vines on the upper terraces rest on a limestone subsoil, allowing the vines to build up water reserves and produce the finest Cahors wines. The Verhaeghe brothers, of Château du Cèdre , are at the forefront of the revival of Cahors wines and produce various cuvées meant to be cellared and then forgotten, as tasting a vintage Cahors is a truly delightful experience.

Jurançon

The Jurançon appellation, located in the foothills of the Pyrenees near Pau, produces dry white wines meant for short aging from Petit Manseng grapes, and sweet wines from Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng . These latter wines offer a very judicious alternative to Sauternes and Barsac. The leading producers of this appellation are Cauhapé and Charles Hours – true winemakers whose wines are renowned for their precision, aromatic complexity, and particularly pleasing freshness.

The flagship vintages of the Southwest

The great vintages in the southwest are 2010 , 2011 , 2014 and 2015 .