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Southwest France Wines

For truly intrepid vinous explorers, the Southwest France wine region offers treasures in the form of undiscovered appellations and little-known grapes. Madiran is home to the Tannat grape, while Jurançon is the home of Petit Manseng. And those are some of the most widely recognized names. Search our Southwest France wine guide’s hundreds of Southwest France wine reviews for more details on individual wines and for our comprehensive database of Southwest France wine ratings.

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Alain Brumont 2006 Château Bouscassé Vieilles Vignes Tannat (Madiran)

Price $50

Some vines at Bouscassé are 150 years old, which inevitably give this wine great depth and concentration. It is hugely structured, with very rich, intense black-plum flavors. The tannins are still developing. — R.V. (6/1/2012)

Château du Cèdre 2006 Le Cèdre Malbec (Cahors)

Cellar Selection

Price $60

Almost black in color, this is a wonderful wine with a long development ahead. At the moment, wood is still too dominant, but just taste the weight of the darkest plum and sweet fig fruit flavors, a line of licorice and bitter coffee and huge, dry tannins. — R.V. (3/1/2010)

Alain Brumont 2007 Château Montus Tannat-Cabernet Franc (Madiran)

Cellar Selection

Price $35

This legendary Madiran is, its fruit tannins just softened by wood aging. It’s smoky, brooding, very concentrated, and worth aging for 10 years. — R.V. (6/1/2012)

Jean-Luc Baldès 2007 Clos Triguedina Les Petites Cailles Malbec (Cahors)

Cellar Selection
Online Exclusive

Price $30

Top 100 Cellar Selections 2011

The third and most impressive wine in a series of single-vineyard wines, from the 900-foot plateau above the Lot River. This is a wine to age, very mineral in character and very structured, with tight tannins. Keep for six years and more. — R.V. (3/1/2011)

Château du Cèdre 2007 Le Cèdre Malbec (Cahors)

Cellar Selection
Online Exclusive

Price $60

Top 100 Cellar Selections 2011

High toast aromas are filled out on the palate with rich, concentrated fruit and bitter chocolate flavors. This powerful, impressive wine is spicy and densely packed. At this stage, it feels hard edged, but that will fill out in the next 3–4 years as the wine broadens out. — R.V. (12/15/2010)

Jean-Luc Baldès 2006 Clos Triguedina The New Black Wine Malbec (Cahors)

By heating part of the must before vinification, Jean-Luc Baldès has revived the medieval way of making Cahors, when it was know as the black wine. It gives, literally, black colored wine, with flavors of stewed prunes allied to intense, dry tannins. Red berries add freshness, but this is more jelly, cooked fruits and darkness. — R.V. (2/1/2010)

Clos Triguedina 2005 The Black Wine Malbec (Cahors)

Cellar Selection

Price $156

In the Middle Ages, the wines of Cahors used to be called “black wines” and the tradition comes from cooking the grapes for a night after harvest. Jean-Luc Baldès has revived the tradition in this limited production wine, with its glass-staining deep crimson color. The palate is dominated by prunes, dried raisins and a series of impressive perfumes that go through… — R.V. (11/1/2008)

Jean-Luc Baldès 2007 Clos Triguedina The New Black Wine Malbec (Cahors)

Cellar Selection
Online Exclusive

Prunes and dark chocolate, rather than fresh fruits, dominate this dark-hued wine. It has big spice along with dense tannins, power and immense concentration. The acidity brings a light moment of freshness. For aging, 4–5 years. — R.V. (9/1/2010)

Most Reviewed Varietals [All]

Bordeaux-style Red Blend Cabernet Sauvignon Chardonnay Chenin Blanc Italian Red Malbec Merlot Muscat Other Red Other White Red Blend Rhône-style Red Blend Rosé Sauvignon Blanc Shiraz/Syrah White Blend

Most Reviewed Producers [All]

Alain Brumont Barton & Guestier Bonny Doon Castel Montplaisir Chamarré Charles Hours Château Armandière Château Bélingard Château Bellevue la Forêt Château Bouissel Château Bovila Château Cahuzac Château Calabre Château Combel la Serre Château d’Aydie Château d’Ourbenac Château de Cénac Château de Chambert Château de Gaudou Château de Jurque Château de Saurs Château du Cèdre Château du Port Château Eugénie Château Famaey Château Gautoul Chateau Haut Perthus Château Haut-Monplaisir Château Jolys Château Jonc Blanc Château la Caminade Château la Coustarelle Château la Rayre Château la Reyne Château Lagrezette Château Lamartine Château Laulerie Château les Croisille Château les Tours des Verdots Château Nozières Château Peyros Château Pineraie Château Ponzac Château Puy-Servain Château Saint-Didier-Parnac Château Saint-Sernin Château Thénac Château Tour des Gendres Clarendelle Clos d’Yvigne Clos de Gamot Clos des Verdots Clos la Coutale Clos Siguier Clos Triguedina Clos Troteligotte Cote Tariquet Cox Croix du Mayne DOC Wine Selection Domaine Bellegarde Domaine Berthoumieu Domaine Brunet Domaine de Ballade Domaine de l’Ancienne Cure Domaine de Mirail Domaine de Pajot Domaine de Pellehaut Domaine de Pouy Domaine des Terrisses Domaine du Crampilh Domaine du Gouyat Domaine du Grand Cros Domaine du Prince Domaine du Tariquet Domaine la Hitaire Domaine la Salette Domaine les Roques de Cana Domaine Rotier Domaine Sarrabelle Domaines Grassa Elian da Ros Famaey François Lurton Gariottin Georges Duboeuf Georges Vigouroux Ginestet Haut Marin Heart of Darkness J. & F. Lurton Jacques Heurtier Jean-Luc Baldès Lalande Lannac Saint-Jean Lapeyre Le Clos d’un Jour Les Vignerons de Cases de Péne Lionel Osmin & Cie Mas del Périé Montgravet Pascal et Olivier Pieron Primo Palatum Producteurs Plaimont Robert et Bernard Plageoles Seigneurs de Bergerac Vignerons de Buzet Vignobles 46N118 Vignobles Laplace Vinel Yvon Mau

2009 Native 9 Rancho Ontiveros Vineyards

A lovely Pinot, dry, crisp and silky, with ripe raspberry, strawberry…

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