Cahors wine
Regarded as one of the oldest wines in Europe, the history of Cahors wine goes back to Gallo-Roman times when Julius Caesar’s legions planted the Quercy causses with vines. This fame continued to grow during the Middle Ages, from the Court of England to the Tsars of Russia. French King François I was a passionate devotee of Cahors wine, like Pope Jean XXII who, in Avignon, made this beverage the noblest of communion wines. In the 20th Century, French President Georges Pompidou was to help the appellation, eager for further acclaim, receive its A.O.C. classification. Let us not forget that in the 19th Century, before the outbreak of phylloxera, the Cahors vineyards boasted 40,000 hectares (nearly 99,000 acres) of vines, situated on an excellent terroir of gravels and limestone.
Here, the Auxerrois grape has reigned supreme for 2,000 years, having found both the geological and climatic conditions to bring out the very best of its merits. Whilst its scientific name is Cot, the Auxerrois, as it is called locally, is nonetheless an exceptional grape variety, which is also part of the same family as the Tannat.
After fermentation it produces a very dark wine with lush tannins and intense aromas. Blackberry, liquorice and blackcurrant contribute to this symphony of flavours that are revealed time and time again with each vintage.
The Terroir, climate, and grape variety are nature’s gifts that, in combination with the work of the wine growers, are the major assets of Cahors, which over time and borders has achieved its place in the pantheon of the finest French wines.
