Dordogne wines and vineyards

Vineyards are an important part of Périgord's gastronomy, and wine has been around since the Middle Ages, forming an important part of the region's trade. In the 19th century, phylloxera, a devastating insect from America, decimated the vineyards. Gradually, however, viticulture began again, and vineyards were established, particularly in the Bergerac region. Today, no less than 13 AOC Dordogne wines testify to the quality of Périgord wines.

Bergerac AOC red wines are produced from Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec grapes. These grape varieties produce full-bodied, balanced, 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, sunny climate and clay-limestone soils add minerality.

Red wines from Bergerac have a beautiful dark red color and a long finish. They are ideal with red meats, strong cheeses and spicy dishes.

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

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

Côtes de Provence red wines Bergerac are produced in small quantities. These are wines of character, full-bodied and rounded, with notes of candied fruit and prune. They can be kept for up to 6 or 7 years. No fewer than 5 grape varieties can be used in the blend: Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Noir, Côt or Cabernet Franc.

Côtes de Bergerac is a sweet white wine.. It falls into the category of still wines, i.e. wines that do not release 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 and Sauvignon B.
Hand-picked when over-ripe, the grapes are sorted to select the finest berries before vinification. Côtes de Bergerac moelleux are more or less sweet, depending on their sugar content. They are round, subtle and fresh on the palate, often appreciated for their candied fruit aromas and pleasant, bright straw color. They are best enjoyed young, but become more complex with age.

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

THE AOC Monbazillac is located on the slopes of the left bank of the Dordogne, straddling the communes of Monbazillac, Colombier, Pomport, Rouffignac de Sigoulès and Saint-Laurent-des-Vignes.
This is a highly reputed sweet and syrupy wine.

The vines of the Semillon, Muscadelle and Sauvignon grapes are naturally hand-harvested, to select only the "noble" grapes in their overripe state. Monbazillac is a smooth, full-bodied wine, particularly suave, with intense aromas of honey, acacia and peach, nuanced with subtle fruity flavors.

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

monbazillac is the best friend of foie gras mi-cuit en terrine or pan-fried. It also goes very well with poultry, blue-veined cheeses and desserts.

Pécharmant is produced in only 4 communes: Creysse Bergerac , Lembras and Saint-Sauveur. The vineyards stretch over a hemicyclic succession of hills to the north of Bergerac, on the right bank of the Dordogne. The vines grow on Périgord sand and gravel soils.

"Pécharmant" comes from the word "pech" ("hill") and is thought to mean "the charming hill".

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

Montravel occupies the western part of the Bergerac vineyards, close to the Côtes de Castillon and Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux regions.

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

The red wines (Montravel rouge )are full-bodied, structured, fruity and supple, thanks to the predominance of Merlot N grapes. The color is intense, the nose combines notes of very ripe fruit with toasty and slightly vanilla notes, the palate is full and ample, with a long finish. A wine of great richness, structure and power, to be drunk between two and ten years.

Dry white wines (Montravel blancs) are balanced between floral, fruity 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, giving them excellent ageing potential.

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

Côtes de Duras wines are made from Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc grapes. These grape varieties produce full-bodied, well-balanced, fruity red wines with red and black fruit aromas, as well as spicy and licorice notes. Côtes de Duras wines have a beautiful dark red color and a long finish. They are ideal with red meats, strong cheeses and spicy dishes.

Côtes de Duras white wines are also made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes. These wines have a beautiful pale color and aromas of exotic fruit, grapefruit and pear. They are fresh and tangy, and go perfectly with seafood, fish and vegetables.

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

AOC Saussignac is an elegant sweet wine with notes of acacia and peach. In terms of blending, several grape varieties are used: Muscadelle, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon and Sémillon.

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