Ep 410: Cahors, France -- the Malbec Capital of the Old World

<p>Cahors is the best-known appellation in Southwest France, likely because the wine of the region is based off a grape everyone knows: Malbec. </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/vignoble-cahors-v2.jpeg" alt="" width="400" height="256" /><span style= "font-size: 8pt;"><em><strong>Source: <a href= "https://vindecahors.fr/">https://vindecahors.fr/</a></strong></em></span></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><br /> Made around the town of Cahors, 160km/100 mi east of Bordeaux, this region hugs the river Lot, and stretches over slopes with such varied soil, each wine is a story of terroir in a bottle. The unique land, combined with an ideal climate, and a history of winemaking that goes back to the Romans contributes to the special combination that creates this earthy, dark fruited, herbal, and powerful red. If you haven’t tried this Old World style of Malbec, after this show, you will be excited to see what you may be missing!</p> <p><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/cahors-g55cf2e3db_640.jpg" alt="" width="331" height="243" /></p> <p>Here are the show notes:</p> <ul> <li>Here Malbec is AKA -- Auxerrois, Côt (COE). It must be 70% of the blend – the balance is made up with Merlot, or less commonly Tannat. Any white or rosé made in the region is categorized IGP Côtes du Lot</li> </ul> <p> </p> <ul> <li>The planted vineyard area is 3,323 ha/8,211 acres but it stretches across 21,700 hectares/53,622 acres over 45 communes along a section of the River Lot around the town of Cahors</li> </ul> <p> </p> <ul> <li>Most of the winemakers here are independent, private wineries (75%) with just 25% members of the co-op, an impressive breakdown in a smaller region! 75% of the winemakers are working sustainably, with 31% converting to organic or already certified organic.</li> </ul> <p><br /> <br /></p> <ul> <li>The climate of Cahors