Cahors from South West France claims to be the birthplace of the Malbec grape, known locally as Auxerrois or Cot, now more familiar to UK wine enthusiasts as a result of the growing popularity of South American Malbecs.
Jonathan Ray in the Telegraph (24 Mar 07) features Dominique Perrin's Chateau Lagrezette. Perrin was head of Cartier, the luxury goods company, hence his arrival in the provincial Lot departement was quite a complement.
Producing top end wines he brought modern packaging and marketing strategies to the project with great success.
But it appears he has fallen out with the other top prodcuers (such as Chateau le Cedre, Clos Truguedina) and has left the "Seigneurs de Cahors" (Lords of Cahors) group and is now "prefers to go it alone and promote Lagrézette as Lagrézette rather than as a Cahors.".
Now there is no doubt whatsoever that Chateau Lagrezette produces excellent wines - Robert Parker has awarded an impressive 95 points for Le Pigeonnier 2001. But therein may lie the problem. For one thing Parker tends to prefer a rich oaky style of wine in the tradtion of the best of Bordeaux. Secondly whilst it is clearly possible to create a great and very marketable wine in Cahors, does the result really reflect the essential character of Cahors wines??
This can be a real dilemma for distinctive appellations such as Cahors. I suspect that most tasters will be able to differentiate an Argentinean Malbec from an equivalent quality Cahors. The Cahors.will tend to be more complex with more evident tannins - but that then is the nature of Cahors and gives it distinctiveness.
Using modern techniques it is possible to refine and smooth the wine to produce something which has wider or more sophisticated appeal - but is it Cahors??
This is a real dilemma for traditional wine and food producers - if we are not careful we could homogenise the wonderful diversity and idiosyncracies of local produce into something which no-one can dislike.
However, do try Chateau Lagrezette, I am sure you will find an extraordinarily fine wine - but also try other Cahors wines such as those offered by Advintage Wines
LINKS:-
See the Telegraph article
Website for Chateau Lagrezette
UK stockists include Four Walls WIne Co, East Sussex
Other Cahors wines from stockists such as Advintage Wines
Recommended reading:-
Andrew Jefford's The New France: A Complete Guide to Contemporary French Wine (Mitchell Beazley Wine Guides)
South West France - The Wines & Winemakers
