Les vins et vignobles de Dordogne

The vineyard represents a very important part of the gastronomy of the Périgord, wine has been present since the Middle Ages and constitutes an important part of the trade of the region. In the 19th century, the phylloxera insect pest from America decimated the vineyards. But little by little, viticulture resumed and the vineyard was established, particularly in the Bergerac region. Today there are no less than 13 AOC wines of Dordogne which testify to the quality of the wines of Périgord.

The red wines of Bergerac AOC are produced from Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec grapes. These grape varieties produce full-bodied, balanced and fruity wines. They are characterized by aromas of red and black fruits, such as cherries, strawberries and blackberries, with spicy notes of pepper and licorice. They also have firm tannins and a good balance between acidity and residual sugar. The warm and sunny climate, with clay-limestone soils bring minerality.

The red wines of Bergerac have a beautiful dark red color and a good length in the mouth. They can be served with red meat dishes, strong cheeses or spicy dishes.

They can be enjoyed over a period of 5 to 10 years, depending on the vintage.

The dry white wines of Bergerac are produced from grape varieties such as Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. Sémillon brings exotic fruit and honey notes, Sauvignon Blanc passion fruit and grapefruit aromas, and Muscadelle dried fruit notes. The dry white wines of Bergerac have a beautiful pale color and aromas of exotic fruits, grapefruit and pear. They are fresh and tangy, and go well with seafood, fish and vegetables.

The red wines of Bergerac are produced in small quantities. These are wines of character, full-bodied and round, which also reveal notes of candied fruit and prune. It can be kept up to 6 or 7 . No less than 5 grape varieties can be used for the blend: Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Noir, Côt or Cabernet Franc.

The white Côtes de Bergerac is a sweet white wine. It falls into the category of a still wine, i.e. one that does not release any carbon dioxide when the bottle is opened.
The main grape varieties used to make Côtes de Bergerac white wine are: Muscadelle B, Sauvignon G, Sémillon B, Sauvignon B.
The grapes are picked by hand, and when they are overripe, they are sorted to select the best grapes before vinification. The sweet Côtes de Bergerac are more or less sweet, depending on their sugar content. They are round, subtle and fresh in the mouth, and often appreciated for their candied fruit aromas and their pleasant bright straw color. They are best enjoyed young but become more complex with age.

The rosé wines of Bergerac are produced from the same grape varieties as the red wines of Bergerac, namely Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. The traditional method of vinification in whole bunches is used to obtain a beautiful pink color. Bergerac rosé wines have a beautiful pale pink color and aromas of red fruits and grapefruit. They are fresh and tangy, and go well with seafood, fish and vegetables.

The AOC Monbazillac is located on the hillsides of the left bank of the Dordogne, straddling the communes of Monbazillac, Colombier, Pomport, Rouffignac de Sigoulès and Saint-Laurent-des-Vignes.
It is a very famous sweet wine.

The vines of the Semillon, Muscadelle and Sauvignon varieties are of course harvested by hand, in order to select only the "noble" grapes in their overripe state. Monbazillac is a smooth and fat wine, particularly smooth, with intense aromas of honey, acacia and peach, nuanced with subtle fruity perfumes.

This wine can be aged and it will only get better. If you have one in your cellar that is five years old or less, it is already very good to drink.

Monbazillac is the best friend of semi-cooked foie gras in terrine or pan-fried. It also goes very well with poultry, blue-veined cheeses and desserts.

The production of Pécharmant is made only on 4 communes: Creysse, Bergerac, Lembras and Saint-Sauveur. The vineyard extends over a succession of hills arranged in a hemicycle to the north of Bergerac, on the right bank of the Dordogne. The vines grow on a soil of sand and gravel of the Perigord.

"Pécharmant" comes from the word "pech" ("hill") and would mean "the charming hill".

Pécharmant wines are wines for ageing. Aromatically, black fruits dominate with notes of blackberry and blackcurrant, vanilla and spicy notes if the wine is aged in oak barrels. The tannins of young wines are very present without being aggressive. With a few years of ageing, they become more refined and mellow.

The Montravel occupies the western part of the Bergerac vineyard and is close to the Côtes de Castillon and Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux region.

Montravel, a range of 4 appellations: Montravel red, Montravel white, Côtes de Montravel and Haut-Montravel
The appellation concerns both dry white wines and red wine.

The red wines (Montravel red) are full-bodied, structured with a fruity and supple character due to the majority presence of Merlot N. The color is intense, the nose combines notes of very ripe fruit with toasted and slightly vanilla notes, the mouth is full, ample, with a long finish. It is a wine of great richness, structured and powerful, to drink between two and ten years.

The dry white wines (Montravel whites) are balanced between floral and fruity aromas and mineral aromas.) They can be drunk young but can also be kept for two or three years.

Sweet white wines: Côtes de Montravel and Haut-Montravel, the former are slightly sweet and the latter almost syrupy, which gives them an excellent aptitude for aging.

The AOC Côtes de Duras includes the communes of Duras, Marmande and Tonneins. The wines produced in this region are recognized for their quality and originality.

Côtes de Duras wines are produced from Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc grapes. These grape varieties produce full-bodied, balanced and fruity red wines with aromas of red and black fruits, as well as spicy and licorice notes. Côtes de Duras wines have a beautiful dark red color and a good length in the mouth. They can be served with red meat dishes, strong cheeses or spicy dishes.

The white wines of Côtes de Duras are also produced from the Sauvignon Blanc grape. These wines have a beautiful pale color and aromas of exotic fruits, grapefruit and pear. They are fresh and tangy, and go well with seafood, fish and vegetables.

The Côtes de Duras region has a warm and sunny climate, with clay-limestone soils that bring minerality to the wines. The winegrowers of Côtes de Duras are proud to practice a reasoned and environmentally friendly viticulture, which contributes to the quality and authenticity of the wines produced in this region.

The AOC Saussignac is a sweet wine of great elegance that delivers notes of acacia and peach. On the blending side, several grape varieties are used: Muscadelle, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon and Semillon.

The Saussignac appellation covers four communes: Gageac-et-Rouillac, Monestier, Razac-de-Saussignac and Saussignac. It is located on the hillsides of the left bank of the Dordogne.