Taste, Discover, and Experience the Wines of Southwest France

Name your favorite grape, and there’s a good chance it, along with many other popular varieties, can trace its roots back to one place: Southwest France. From Malbec to Cabernet Franc, Southwest France is the birthplace of the world’s most famous grapes. As a region rich with both cultural and viticultural history, it is a wildly diverse place you will want to put on the top of the list for your next vacation.

Taste

Home to 300 varieties, 130 of which are indigenous, Southwest France is the number one French region for grape diversity, and it provides endless exploration into a world of exciting wines.

Many varieties have taken up residence in far-flung corners of the world, such as Malbec in Argentina (known as Côt in its birthplace of Cahors), while others played a part in the genesis of renowned grapes. Cabernet Franc, for example, is a parent to the world-renowned Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varieties, as well as Carmenère, Chile’s star grape. Alongside these classic varieties, Tannat, which is fast becoming the key grape of Uruguay, and Petit Manseng, Virginia’s vineyard darling, prove Southwest France is an endless treasure trove of grapes poised for global stardom.

But go even deeper and discover what other native varieties have to offer. The chameleon white grape Mauzac, a well-known grape in the PDO Gaillac, becomes the backbone of dry, sparkling, and sweet wines. The nearly-extinct red grape Prunelard was resurrected by vintners trying to preserve a piece of their history and now creates wines with enticing peppery and ripe fruit qualities.Very recently, Le Tardif, another grape variety that almost disappeared from existence, was able to regain a place in the PDO Saint Mont vineyards. The first planting was carried out in spring 2018.

Because winemakers have a broad selection of varieties and terroir at their disposal, they are able to produce a spectrum of styles. Enjoy bold, concentrated reds made from Tannat from PDO Madiran. In PDO Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh winemakers utilize a natural drying process called passillerage for the creation of elegant sweet wines. These, along with the whites and rosés produced throughout the region, make Southwest France a wine lover’s dream.

Recently, research conducted by the Southwest branch of the French Wine and Vine Institute in collaboration with Wines of Southwest France Council, revealed a bouquet of aromas distinct to the wines of Southwest France. Notes of banana are often detected in the region’s white and rosé wines. Meanwhile, blackcurrant comes through in the Cabernet Franc grown in the Pyrenean foothills, as well as Fer Servadou, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Grapefruit is a bright aroma in both red and white wines, while sumptuous truffle is often detected in aged sweet and dessert wines.

Discover

The natural borders that define Southwest France are as diverse as the region itself. To the west lies the Atlantic Ocean while high-altitude plateaus of the Massif Central line the east. Dordogne, home to ancient cave paintings and its namesake river, creates the northern border. The Pyrenees mountains to the south complete the picture. Within these boundaries reside 42 named appellations, each with its own distinct terroir and wine styles. The region’s role as an important thoroughfare back in the 12th century makes for an exciting vacation for modern travelers. After Pope Alexander III consecrated Spain’s Santiago de Compostela as a holy village in 1189, an influx of people began making the pilgrimage. Southwest France’s numerous abbeys and monasteries became key hospitality sites and many began producing wine. Through these travelers, grapes also soon spread to other parts of Europe. However, Southwest France still remained rather isolated from the other interconnected trade routes that flourished throughout the continent, meaning these indigenous varieties retained their place in the vineyards and never yielded to other grapes. Today, many of these medieval structures still remain, and coupled with the diversity of wines, Southwest France is an ideal vacation for any wine lover.

Experience

Travel throughout Southwest France and you’ll marvel at the diverse climates — and understand what makes this region so dynamic when it comes to wine. In PDO Cahors, sunny days and a relatively dry climate result in red wines with concentration and complexity. PGI Côtes de Gascogne, which sees an oceanic climate, is best known for white wines. Further east, PDO Fronton enjoys the hot, sunny days of a Mediterranean climate and produces Negrette as a red and rosé wine.

It’s no wonder Southwest France has garnered international acclaim as a wine travel destination. In 2022, it was recognized as a wine route of note by Iter Vitis – Les Chemins de la Vigne, which promotes oenological tourism. The region was also awarded the “Paolo Benvenuti Special Award” by the same organization for its work preserving and promoting its indigenous grapes.

To round out the region’s collection of accolades, Toulouse, the Wine Capital of the Southwest, was named the label “European Wine City” in 2023 by the European Wine Cities Network (RECEVIN). These awards, coupled with the numerous UNESCO sites in the region, puts Southwest France at the top of any wine lover’s travel bucket list.

If you’re ready to dig deeper into Southwest France and its wines, here are 12 bottles selected by Wine Enthusiast editors that showcase the diversity and quality of the wines from Southwest France...

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