The South-West

The South-West differs from the other wine-producing regions of France by its singularity. Far from the usual hierarchy of appellations, the terroirs here are very scattered, from the Atlantic coast to the gates of the Aubrac, covering the Aquitaine basin to the Pyrenean foothills. Under an oceanic climate along the coast, then continental, even Mediterranean, for the most eastern part, a range of wines is born, as varied as the terroirs, of all colours. Of this immensity, the vineyards represent only 51,000 hectares, and offer the widest range of local grape varieties. Most of its wines, although very varied, clearly resemble those of its Bordeaux neighbour, mainly due to the common grape varieties grown there: Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet and Sauvignon are the main varieties that these two wine regions share. However, the South-West region has managed to distinguish itself thanks to the many small, old terroirs and their totally new local varieties, which are all little nuggets scattered around this vast appellation. This is the case for the middle Garonne and the Bergeracois, the birthplace of the famous Monbazillac, a powerful sweet wine for ageing. The Pyrenean foothills, the land of Armagnac, has a particularly rich range of specialities: the Floc liqueur wines, mutated into the famous Eau-de-Vie Gasconne, or the famous Jurançon. The latter, made mainly from Petits and Gros Mansengs and Courbu. Finally, the unusual aromas of the wines of the Midi-Pyrénées are not to be outdone: the bouqueted "black wine" of Cahors (Malbec) or the liquorice of the Frontonnais wines (Négrette ).