The Corbières region is remembered for the Crusades against the Cathar heretics. The ruins of castles which rose to dizzying heights can still be seen on the crests of this mountainous region – Aguilar, Queribus, Peyrepertuse etc. Lagrasse and Fontfroide abbeys attest to the period when the monks first cleared the land to plant vines.
Corbières [...]
The French wine laws are idisyncratic and a little obscure – infuriating too, as with the exception of Alsace, the grape variety cannot be mentioned on the label of AC (Appellation Controllée) wines. So whilst South American Malbec is easily recognised on the supermarket shelf, the wines of Cahors, made from the same grape, remains [...]
In this mosaic of very different terroirs, the Gaillac vineyard is situated 50 km east of Toulouse, in the direction of Albi, in the Tarn departement. The vineyard stretches over both sides of the Tarn and to the north up to the medieval town of Cordes. An ancient vineyard it hosts some very individual grape [...]
Autouroute linking into the heart of South West France and the Midi-Pyrenees
A list of every French département (county) and region with postcode numbers
London wine merchant with interesting range of French wines
A growing list of hand-selected wines from some of the best small growers in Languedoc, Roussillon and southern Rhone
Region: Rhône Valley
Appellation: Gigondas AC
Producer: Domaine la Fourmone
Grapes: Grenache
2 principal cuvées produced – Cuvée Traditionelle and the Cuvée Cigaloun both very rich and high in alcohol. Wonderfully spicy overtones, with the Cigaloun balancing the spice with really good fruit.
From selected plots, velvet colour, spicy nose,grilled aromas, palate delight.
… When it nears the lavender [...]
Madame Combe has a fearsome reputation for producing excellent wines in the Côtes du Rhône
Region: Rhône Valley
Appellation: Vacqeyras AC
Producer: Domaine la Fourmone
Grapes: Grenache, Syrah
Several cuvées are produced – Tresor du Poete, Sélection Maître de Chais and Cuvée des Ceps d’or. There is also a White Vacqueyras – Cuvée Fleurantine!
Big powerful and velvety smooth spicy Rhône red – excellent (S.Rhône) Made from Grenache and Syrah grapes, manually picked. It is [...]
Hyeres in Var, Provence map
Vins de Pays Charentais, mainly white wines from grapes that also serve as the basis for Cognac. Ugni Blanc and Columbard are the traditional varieties but more Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc are evident, which add body and richness to what otherwise can be rather thin acidic wines (ideal for Cognac!).
The Vin de Pays Charentais [...]
The highly aromatic Sauvignon Blanc grape is one of the world’s great white varietals