Being an ardent fan of the Malbec wines of Cahors in South West France I am always delighted to find domaines which are innovative in the presentation of their wines, whilst more traditional in the way they are made. The French have a tendency to be very proud of their produce, and are wary of demeaning the history and tradition by adopting brash modern marketing techniques. But sometimes this means that excellent wines can be pretty impenetrable to the necomer, especially when it seems much easier to switch to a bottle with a more familiar name, an attractive label and informative backlabel. Chateau de Gaudou at Vire-sur-Lot (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees) has developed an attractive (non-gimmicky) website and included an 8-minute video which, whilst having a touch of natural French pomposity, provides an interesting and entertaining introduction to the vineyards and wines of Cahors and the Chateau de Gaudou itself.
Majestic Wine Warehousesstock the Cahors AC Chateau de Gaudou Cuvée Tradition 2003 ("Lots of ripe, black fruit with the Merlot rounding out the tannins to give a softer, more approachable appeal.") at £5.99
Vire-sur-lot is home to a number of the best Cahors Chateaux - e.g. Chateau du Cèdre and one of my favourites - Chateau Haut-Monplaisir. Leon Stolarski Fine Wines stocks their remarkable 100% Malbec cuvée "Pur Plaisir" (Opaque. Wonderful scents of bonfires and raw meat. Ripe terroir mixture. Deep vivid palate built on a core of smoky fruit. Soft tannic mass integrated into the finish. Brilliant oak integration. Excellent.” Andrew Jefford, Decanter World Wine Awards 2004. )
For more on the wines of Cahors see www.vindecahors.fr (in French) and www.frenchduck.co.uk (in English)
