Born in the Southwestern part of France, with many names bestowed upon it, including Côt, Côt Noir and Auxerrois, Malbec’s intercontinental migration between two worlds is a true testament of how cultures, civilizations and identities are intertwined, integrated and unified by a glorious spell called “wine”!
Cahors is the birthplace of Malbec, an area that continues to be known for its red wines made predominantly from the Malbec grape. Like much of France, the area was first planted with grapes by the Romans in approximately 50B.C. It was during the Middle Ages that the red wines of Cahors began to be described as black. They were known as the “black wine of Lot” referring to the Lot River which runs through Cahors and which facilitated its distribution. The color was due to the two major grape varieties used, Malbec and Tannat, and the concentration of the wine. Its early popularity is evident as the wine was served at the wedding of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.
The vineyards of Cahors are equidistant from the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the Pyrenees. They extend from both of the banks of the Lot River at an altitude between 100 and 300 meters. Between Cahors and Puy l’Evêque, the Lot River flows from east to west, meandering in a narrow plain of alluvial deposits, and eroding the chalky soil of the steep limestone plateaus. The climate of the Cahors region is Atlantic, but subject to the influences of the Mediterranean, thereby resulting in less rainfall
This Article was originally published on Wines and Vines
