Madiran and Pacherenc-du-Vic-Bilh : one territory, two AOCs
Particularly original as Madiran is an appellation that only produces reds and Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh, a small, little known appellation with sweet and dry whites. These two appellations coexist in the same production area for the enjoyment of enthusiasts.
A thousand-year-old vineyard
The region of the Southwest can be summed up in a few words as an image, but above all, you need to take time to come to discover for yourself in order to properly understand. So just to summarize: Easy living, conviviality, sharing, sunshine, festivals, attractive and distinctive landscapes from the Pyrenees mountains to the Atlantic ocean; unspoilt nature as far as the eye can see. When we think of the Southwest, it is also rugby, the beret, the melodic accent, the Gascon expressions, the culinary specialities, such as duck, ham, etc. But above all, it is the pride and generosity of its inhabitants, as well as their warm welcome.
Tannat : rare and native grape varietie
The trademark and distinctive character of the Southwest wines are their native grape varieties.
But what is it? An indigenous or endemic grape variety is a variety of grape that is native to the terroir where it is still grown. The variety is therefore characteristic of the vineyard where it is located and therefore adapted to the soil and the climate, thus expressing all of its particular character and quality.
As far as Madiran is concerned, since the Middle Ages, it adopted Cabernet Franc as well as Pinenc (another name is Fer Servadou) as its flagship grapes, but the robustness of the Tannat finally prevailed, demonstrating a certain capacity to adapt to cope with a climate that is sometimes very wet.
From the Cotoides family, along with Prunelard, Négrette or Manseng, the origins or Tannat has been able to be traced back to the Roman era. The Madiran appellation decree imposes a minimum planting of 60 to 80% of Tannat to obtain authorisation. It is often associated with Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon in the production of Madiran wines.
The Pacherenc du Vic Bilh, for white Madiran is also made from indigenous grape varieties. It must be made from a minimum planting of 60 to 80% of Petit or Gros Manseng and Petit Courbu – sometimes blended with the more minor varieties of the appellation such as Arrufiac or Sauvignon.
the Madiran
& Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh appellations
in figures
