The Cahors vineyard area and some history
The Cahors vineyard is situated along the meandering banks of the river Lot in an area roughly 60 km long and 30 km wide. It is about equidistant from the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Pyrenees. It enjoys an oceanic climate but with less precipitation than Bordeaux and warm autumn winds which help the maturity of the relatively late ripening Malbec (early October harvests).
There is considerable complexity of soil types lying in three naturally terraced steps from the Lot up the valley sides to the plateau. The lowest terraces give the most supple and fruity wines, the mid terraces give more structured wines and the top terraces together with the calcareous scree provide the richest and most age-worthy wines. The calcareous “Causse” plateau lying above 300 metres with a clay and marl mix enjoys bigger temperatures swings causing later maturity of the grapes and wines with less flesh but more finesse.
Vines were planted in the area over 2000 years ago and the wines enjoyed a good reputation in the Roman Empire. By the 12th century, the “Black Wine of Cahors” was much appreciated in England and prosperity continued until the 100 years war in the 14th century. From then until the 18th century Cahors wine suffered from discriminatory taxes levied by Bordeaux but maintained its reputation and was drunk by royalty throughout Europe. Although it is my feeling that the reputation of Cahors was slipping by the 19th century in the face of Bordeaux wines invigorated by then new bottling technology, 58,000 hectares remained planted with vines in 1866.
Phylloxera virtually wiped out the vineyard from that year and Malbec disappeared. In 1947 some enterprising spirits started replanting Malbec and in 1951 Cahors became VDQS. The devastating frosts of 1956 were a bad setback but in 1971 Cahors obtained AOC status with some 440 hectares planted. The renaissance of Cahors has since been quite spectacular; some 4,500 hectares are now planted and there are a number of excellent estates, such as Château du Cèdre, Clos Triguedina, Château Lamartine, Château Lagrézette, etc. The appellation remains, however, little known even in France and little exported.
Plans for the future
Quality
The original appellation decree in 1971 imposed some of the most rigorous conditions in France
- yields limited to 50 hl/ha
- minimum natural alcohol of 11.5%
- minimum Malbec content of 70%; a complement of Merlot and/or Tannat being authorised but not compulsory.
The present generation of growers want to improve on this. There is a tendency to increase the Malbec content (from 85% “Malbec” may be mentioned on the label) largely at the expense of Tannat.
In particular, a back label “Cahors Excellence” or “Charte de Qualité” (Quality Charter) has been instituted from 1999. At the end of the 90s, a study of terroirs was carried out to determine which plots had the potential to be classified as “crus”. On these plots, growers may sign up for the Quality Charter, which is an unique initiative in France. The requirements for obtaining the back label are as follows
- yields limited to 40 hl/ha
- maximum of 1.5 kg of grapes per vine
- checks at each stage in the wine-making
- minimum ageing of 16 months
- submission to a tasting jury
- the honours list of qualifying wines to be refreshed each year.
It is worth adding that only one of the 8 or 9 assorted bottles which I brought back is adorned with the “Charte de Qualité” back label. So apparently it is being confined, probably correctly, to a small number of very top wines. It is to be hoped, however, that it will act as a motor for improvement at lower levels.
Marketing
The marketing thrust is spearheaded by Jérémy Arnaud, the young and dynamic Marketing Director of UIVC (meaning Union Interprofessionnelle du Vin de Cahors, I think). He is a bit too given to sociological intellectualization for my taste but he has a coherent plan.
There are two main objectives
- differentiation thanks to “black” colour
- internationalisation thanks to Malbec
but quality must never disappoint. Cahors is a “grand vin” and a “vin de terroir”.
A lot is being staked on “black” for the following reasons
- favourable connotations of “black” (lots of, to me, dubious intellectualising here)
- the historical prestige of “Black Wine”
- associations with the “French Paradox” – wines rich in health giving Procyanidins praised by Roger Corder in “The Wine Diet”
- deep colour alongside aromatics and concentration sought by international markets
- “black” differentiates Cahors from the oceans of other reds on the highly competitive French market and touches a “romantic” vein.
Summary
There seem to be a lot of admirable intentions here for Cahors to make a quality and commercial come-back. One of the main purposes of these Malbec Days was, I think, to galvanise Cahors growers and other professionals. It remains to be seen whether action will live up to the intentions.