South-west France

The wine-growing areas of this large region, known inFrance as Sud-Ouest, have a total vineyard area of around 160.000 hectares, and are among the oldest in France. Both geographically and historically, the South-west of France includes the entire area between the Massif Central, which forms the boundary to the east, and the Atlantic coast in the west, down to the Pyrenees in the south, on the Spanish border. Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) was the first to describe the Roman province he had conquered between the Garonne river and the Pyrenees as Aquitaine (French Guyenne). Charlemagne (742-814 AD) incorporated it into the Franconian empire. After a changeable history as a county, the addition of Gascogne, and then Englisdh rule in the course of the crusades as of the midd-12th century, the area only finally became part of France in 1453. The Catholic orders, particularly the Cistercian monks, encouraged and engaged in viticulture here in the Middle Ages. As of the 17th century, the demand by the Netherlands for sweet wines and brandy characterised the style of wine. At this time the name of Haut-Pays (upper area – upriver from Bordeaux) came to be used. However, for a long time the wines from this region stood in the shadow of those from Bordeaux. Wine sales were made from the port of Bordeaux, and all other regions had to wait and stand back until all the Bordeaux wines had been sold and shipped first.

South-western France has also been described as a museum of vines, as nowhere else are so many indigenous grape varieties to be found, some of them ancient, and with an increasing interest in cultivating them. These include, for example, the varieties Arrufiac, Baroque, Duras, Fer Servadou#Fer, Lauzet, Len de l´El, Mauzac, Manseng, Négrette and Tannat. These give the wines an individual and characteristic note. However, the classic Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon are also planted here. Probably the greatest common factor in this huge area is the Atlantic climate that prevails. There is a lot of precipitation in winter and spring, warm summers and long, sunny autumns. The region is generally sub-divided into five large areas that have very different wine styles with their own individual character. At the centre lies the famous brandy-producing region of Armagnac. The north is dominated by the large region of Bergerac, to the south of that lies Cahors. To the east lies the historical region of Gaillac. In the south-west corner of the region, bordering on the Pyrenees, are the two famous regions of Jurançon and Madiran. The most important AC and VDQS regions are:

* Armagnac
* BĂ©arn (BĂ©arn-Belocq)
* Bergerac (CĂ´tes de Bergerac)
* Blanquette de Limoux
* Buzet (CĂ´tes de Buzet)
* Cabardès (Côtes du Cabardès et de l´Orbiel)
* Cahors
* Charentais (vin de pays)
* Comté Tolosan
* Coteaux du Quercy
* CĂ´tes de Gascogne (vin de pays)
* CĂ´tes de Duras
* CĂ´tes de Millau
* CĂ´tes de Saint-Mont
* CĂ´tes du Brulhois
* CĂ´tes du Marmandais
* CĂ´tes du Tarn (vin de pays)
* Fronton (was CĂ´tes du Frontonnais until 2004)
* Gaillac (Gaillac Doux, Gaillac Méthode Gaillacoise, Gaillac Prèmieres Côtes)
* Irouléguy
* Jurançon
* Lavilledieu
* Madiran
* Marcillac
* Monbazillac
* Montravel (CĂ´tes de Montravel, Haut-Montravel)
* Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh
* PĂ©charmant
* Rosette
* Saussignac
* Terroirs Landais
* Tursan
* Vins d'Entraygues et du Fel
* Vins d'Estaing