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Tasting Notes...

Clos des Mages 1999 (red): Oak-matured Braucol and Cabernet Sauvignon produce a deep, complex wine bursting with fruit. Eminently suited to laying down, but why wait? It's superb right now - a worthy emissary for the new breed of Gaillac reds.

Gallant Gaillac

Much loved and occasionally misunderstood, the classic wines of the Tarn are undergoing something of a quiet revolution. Journey with us to warmer climes.

The Gaillac appellation occupies a clearly-defined position on the wine map of southern France. The wines which it produces, on the other hand, are arguably less readily pigeon-holed. Travel around the Tarn and you'll naturally encounter locally-produced wines on the menu of any self-respecting restaurateur. It's a time-honoured way to discover new wines, the experience enhanced by the knowledge that you're tapping into the very essence of the surrounding landscapes. And if le Patron knows his stuff, then chances are you won't be disappointed. But when the wines of Gaillac must take their chances elsewhere, among the competing products from the plethora of French wine regions on the racks of supermarkets, things are obviously very different. It's tough out there. Gaillac has its loyal supporters, of course, but is not otherwise currently perceived in anything like the same light as even middling wines from star regions like Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhône Valley.

Which in most cases is a great pity. There's a great deal more to Gaillac than is generally appreciated, as we recently discovered, when we visited one of the more innovative and energetic producers working in (and most definitely for) the region. But more of that later; first we'll take a look at the land, the climate and the grape varieties which define the AOC. Although located well inland, when it comes to climate the area shares the south-west's temperate maritime influence, experiencing long, hot summers plus mild, but occasionally wet autumns and winters. The Gaillac appellation today covers a respectable 2,500 hectares among the northern extremities of the Tarn département, not far from the village of Cordes-sur-Ciel (see les jardins de Paradis). Vines were introduced to the region by the Romans around the first Century BC, the resulting wines initially often being employed to add a little extra bite to some of the less-than-intense produce emerging downstream. By the second century AD, the area had also become a major centre for pottery production, remains of its output later turning up as far afield as southern Spain and northern Scotland. Gaillac wines also appear to have been an early export success, after being transported down the rivers Tarn and Garonne. Little more is known of the early production period, until the area finally got the opportunity to preserve its essential qualities and show what it was really made of. In 1271 the Benedictine monks of the abbey of Saint Michel de Gaillac drew up the kind of quality controls which still form the basis of today's AOCs, first banning blending with wines from other production areas. They then turned their attention to grape varieties, pruning methods, use of fertilisers and even the type of wood used in the casks. Within a relatively short space of time the wines were once again being regularly shipped down river for export to northern Europe, including England.

The modern AOC growth area breaks down into three quite distinct areas, the most northerly being the Plateau Cordais (or Hauts Coteaux du Gaillacois), set around the hilltop village of Cordes. An altitude of 250-300 metres means the grapes are usually harvested here 10 to 15 days after those growing lower down, beside the river Tarn. This ripening, combined with a southern orientation, means more sunshine, encourages both finesse and complexity.

South of the Plateau are the Right Bank Coteaux (or simply Les Côtes), whose topography and sheer size make for great diversity of growing conditions. At their heart are low-altitude, clay and limestone slopes and sandy outcrops, exposed to the sun and prevailing winds and encouraging early ripening. Locally-produced whites are elegant, with a good finish, while reds are well-structured, full-bodied, with lots of fruit and moderate tannins. The clay/limestone hills around Labastide, Bernac and Sainte-Croix, on the other hand, tend to ripen later. Their Duras and Syrah-based reds are full-bodied without being overly spicy. To the north are the Cestayrois and Castanet plateaux whose limestone geology is similar to that of the Plateau Cordais. Dry or 'perlé' whites from here are refreshing, with great finesse and delicacy. Next come the Montels and Cahuzac-sur-Vère hills, their climates tempered by the nearby Vère Valley (so once again, a late harvest). Resulting dry and perlé wines are, if anything, even more fresh and fruity. Winding up the subdivisions of Les Côtes, are the hills of Lisle-sur-Tarn and Rabastens, whose south-facing slopes produce warm, rounded reds, plus potentially delicate whites.

The final area of the Gaillac AOC is the southernmost sector, often known as the Left Bank Terraces (or Rive Gauche). Strongly influenced in both geology and climate by the Tarn, the area encompasses the 30km or so between Florentin and Couffouleux, including Tecou and the ancient pottery centre of Montans. Its relatively low altitude is combined with pebbles, gravel, sand and clay, this type of soil being known as 'boulbenes'. Local wine growers often refer to the left bank 'Graves', which are considered to be an exceptional terroir for classic reds. Phew. Complex enough for you? No wonder a 'typical' Gaillac can be difficult to pin down.

To see what is possible, though, I'm visiting the Château Mayragues, in the Rive Droit Coteaux of the Tarn. Its vineyards have been documented since the early 17th Century, although recent Roman discoveries suggest a dramatically longer history of viticulture. The 14/16th Century fortified château which sits at its heart was a ruin when Alan Geddes (a Scot) and his French wife Laurence purchased the estate in 1980. Now it's a showpiece offering the highest levels of chambre d'hôte accommodation, years of dedicated restoration efforts having finally earned them the prestigious Grand Prix des Vieilles Maisons Françaises. The same level of commitment has been lavished on the estate's 18½ hectares of vineyards, planted in roughly equal measure with white and black grape varieties. The former comprise Mauzac and Len de L'El (patois for 'loin de l'oeil', or 'far from sight'), while blacks are represented by Braucol and Duras, supported by Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Gamay. 'Although these varieties are prescribed by the Gaillac AOC.', says Alan, 'you do have the freedom to blend them to your palate. The variations make it a much more complex story than most to get across. It's easy to be an expert on Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay, and people like to appear to be experts. With something like Gaillac, whose varied terroirs produce totally different wines, it's much more difficult'.

In marked contrast to the high-yield approach employed by its former owners, Alan and Laurence are committed to bio-dynamic growing practices. 'We're in it for quality, rather than quantity.' confirms Alan, who had a successful career in physics and astronomy before devoting himself to the château and its vineyards. 'In the last three years we've converted totally to bio-dynamic practices. It all just makes sense.' The concept essentially involves banishing the use of all chemical treatments. Fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides.... everything synthetic. After that you do all the essential maintenance the traditional way and encourage the natural balance to re-establish itself. By definition it's labour-intensive and the results certainly don't come overnight. When they do, though, there are certain important benefits. 'The idea of getting back to bio-dynamics is that the wine should taste of the terroir from which it comes. You do this by encouraging the roots to go much deeper into the soil in search of nutrition. At the start the yields drop, of course, but gradually return as things settle down. One expert told me that it will probably take six or seven years to stabilise. So we have to stick with it!'

The estate produces two whites, one vat-fermented, one in oak barrels. It's the same for reds. 'We also do a late harvest in November, when there's noble rot. We do all our picking by hand, normally going through the vines two or three times. Machine picking is quicker, easier, more cost effective, but it's non-selective. Then there's the fact that different varieties come to maturity at different times, and can't all be picked together. If it starts to rain we can simply wait until it improves. Last year we only had two problems: the conversion to bio-dynamics meant the yields were still way down, then just when it was ready to pick the deer and wild boar came out of the woods and picked it for us. This year we'll put electric fences around the vines.'. Having tasted the results of his labours, I'm with Alan on this. Mustn't waste a drop.

© Words and pictures Roger Moss
This feature first appeared in everything France magazine Issue 11

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