HEAVENLY TANNAT AND MALBEC

Yesterday, at the South-West Wines (of France) tasting in London, the lost son of France, Malbec, aka Cot Noir or Auxerrois, was King, along with another powerful but modest charmer, Tannat. It wasn’t a huge show, but it was highly memorable on the palate.

There were two wines that stood out at the show (both by Producteurs Plaimont): 2001 Plénitude, Madiran AOC - 80% Tannat, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon; 28 days maceration; 18 months in new oak – nearly black in colour, youthful, rich and powerful, tannic but without a trace of harshness, with a superbly balanced structure and intense aromas, it’s already available in London at Mill Hill Wines, Bedale Street Wine (Southwark) and City Beverages at about £14.00. Try also Rare and Fine Wines.

And… 2000 Viella Village, Madiran AOC (60% Tannat and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon – made with overripe berries (harvested 2 weeks after full ripeness is achieved), aged 10 months in oak – rich, well structured and balanced, another treat from Plaimont - also available in Bedale Street, City Beverages and Mill Hill Wines at about £13.00.

Both wines go well with duck, lamb, stews and other rich meat dishes.

A pleasant surprise was a desert beverage Rogomme made from Malbec to the 300-year-old recipe of Quercy by Chateau de Chambert to perfection. Packed with the intense but tender aromas of prunes, plums, figs, well-integrated spices, it overwhelms you once it’s in the glass. It fills your mouth with soft sweetness, a silky texture and heavenly flavours and warms your throat, caresses your mind and relaxes your body. Rogomme is a wine- based aperitif and can be served as such, as well as a desert wine.

Chateau de Chambert also make wonderfully aromatic and well structured, real Malbec treats: special cuvée - 2002 Orphée, Cahors AOC (100% Malbec; maturation -18 months in oak, bottled without fining or filtering); and 2003 Chateau Carlat, Cahors AOC (75% Malbec, 20% Merlot, 9% Tannat; fermented with natural yeast; maturation – 12 months in oak, bottled without fining or filtering).

Chateaux de Chambert and Carlat cultivate their vineyards according to the guidelines set out by the International Organisation for Biological and Integrated Control and don’t use weed killers. Many of their wines are fermented with natural yeast and bottled without fining or filtering.