WTN: 2012 Mas del Périé Cahors Les Acacias

2012 Mas del Périé Cahors Les Acacias - I have always been interested in the 'Black wine of Cahors, made from Malbec, often with an addition of up to 30% merlot and/or tannat. We travelled there some years ago to investigate the wines as few were making it into our local Canadian marketplace.

While many of the wines were on the rustic side, some were excellent. If you are a talented young winemaker in France and can’t afford to buy or lease land in Bordeaux or any other notable area, you go to places like Bergerac and Cahors and make good wine that sell for a fraction of what the same quality would sell for in a major wine area. It is a mix of these talented winemakers and the traditional properties where wine has been made for generations by winemakers of varying skill.
This one was made by Fabien Jouves, a 6th generation winemaker in Cahors, who follows biodynamic winemaking. If you are interested see https://www.creamwine.com/brand.php?id=1137

This top cuvee is made from 100% malbec, hand picked, fermented using natural yeasts. Unlike quite a few Cahors wines, it does not carry an undue load of tannin, but is still a huge dark wine with concentrated fruit aromas – black fruit, plums with black pepper hints and some cocoa, yet light on its ‘feet’ with no hint of heaviness nor over ripeness. A long smooth finish. Tasted blind you might start out with “Ah – Australia or California (or Argentina, if you identified the varietal) – but wait – where is the sweetness and vanilla?”
This seems to be made for the long haul and comes across as both concentrated and elegant, without being ripe and sweet. Very good.

[David M. Bueker]

I have traveled in Southwest France a great deal. In all those trips I have consumed a lot of delicious Cahors. I cannot get any of it here. Drives me nuts!

Thanks for that TN, Bill. Cahors has become a very dynamic appellation with quite a lot of promising young producers as well as the better known names like, Cèdre, Cosse-Maisonneuve, Triguedina, Lamartine......However, I still prefer not to buy without a reliable recommendation or prior tasting. There still too many oak bombs and Mendoza look-alikes out there.

Until about a couple of years ago, the middle of the Triguedina range and some others like Troteligotte were readily available at local supermarkets in the €10-15 range but they seem to have disappeared. There is reasonable availability at good cavistes and on the web.

Any recent experiences with Clos de Gamot? I used to visit the area around 15 years ago and loved the Jouffreau wines. Such balance between southern fruit and fresh mineral structure. And they had tons of old vintages for sale. Hopefully they are still continuing in the same style!

Sadly, this is our entire Cahors offerings in the government stores. Some (few) others may be special listings.

https://www.bcliquorstores.com/product- ... esc&page=1

[Jenise]

There still too many oak bombs and Mendoza look-alikes out there.

I've got four bottles of Cahors made by Californian Paul Hobbs who apparently stopped by Cahors on his way back to Mendoza (he's one of the first 'flying winemakers') if anyone wants to try an oaky Mendoza look-alike. (In my defense, I bought them for one of my neighborhood tastings, which subsequently got cancelled and I was stuck with them.)

Any recent experiences with Clos de Gamot? I used to visit the area around 15 years ago and loved the Jouffreau wines. Such balance between southern fruit and fresh mineral structure. And they had tons of old vintages for sale. Hopefully they are still continuing in the same style!

According to RVF's 2021 guide, Clos Gamot is still going strong producing in the traditional style with élevage in tanks and large barrels. IMO they are wines for the long haul.The most recent vintage which I have had is 2008. It was classy in an austere vein and took some time to open up. I would recommend decanting several hours before serving.

I visited the estate in the 70s or early 80s when it was then probably the quality leader in Cahors. I remember well the late Jean Jouffreau and his pungent remarks delivered in a delightfully juicy south-western accent.

Any recent experiences with Clos de Gamot? I used to visit the area around 15 years ago and loved the Jouffreau wines. Such balance between southern fruit and fresh mineral structure. And they had tons of old vintages for sale. Hopefully they are still continuing in the same style!

According to RVF's 2021 guide, Clos Gamot is still going strong producing in the traditional style with élevage in tanks and large barrels. IMO they are wines for the long haul.The most recent vintage which I have had is 2008. It was classy in an austere vein and took some time to open up. I would recommend decanting several hours before serving.

I visited the estate in the 70s or early 80s when it was then probably the quality leader in Cahors. I remember well the late Jean Jouffreau and his pungent remarks delivered in a delightfully juicy south-western accent.

Good to hear!

Sadly, this is our entire Cahors offerings in the government stores. Some (few) others may be special listings.

https://www.bcliquorstores.com/product- ... esc&page=1

Wow, poor listing indeed Bill.

Except for wine geeks like us, no one knows what it is.

They know three wines - Bordeaux, Burgundy and Cheap Anything (often with cute animals on the label). I would estimate that 60% of my wine buying is via spec products that are not listed in the stores - agents bring them in and it is a hand sell to restaurants and wine geeks like me.