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Sud-Ouest · Subregion entry

Cahors & Lot Valley

Cahors is the French home of Malbec. The Lot Valley is known for dark, structured reds made long before Argentina made the grape famous.

Place
Cahors & Lot Valley, Sud-Ouest
Wine context
Côt (Malbec) · Merlot · Tannat
Good for
Old-vine Côt from the Lot Valley — Malbec as a French grape with centuries of Cahors history rather than an Argentine export success.
Look for
Cahors · Coteaux du Quercy · Entraygues-Le Fel · Estaing
Atlas locationCahors & Lot Valley · Sud-Ouest44.34° N · 1.24° E

Cahors is the French home of Malbec, known locally as Côt. In the Lot Valley, it makes dark, structured reds with a history that predates the grape's fame in Argentina. Cahors is chiefly about this one grape, which brings deep colour and firm tannin. Merlot and Tannat may appear too, and careful tannin management can preserve freshness. For anyone who knows Malbec from elsewhere, Cahors offers its French point of reference.

Elsewhere in Sud-Ouest

Continue through the region

  1. Bergerac & Dordogne7 producersBergerac and the Dordogne share grapes with nearby Bordeaux, but Monbazillac, Pécharmant and local producers give the area its own character.
  2. Gaillac & Tarn3 producersAround the Tarn, Gaillac keeps old local grapes in play and makes sparkling, white and red wines.
  3. Madiran & Pyrénées9 producersMadiran, Jurançon and Irouléguy form the Pyrenean side of Sud-Ouest. Tannat drives the reds, while Manseng is central to the whites.

Producer profiles

Producers in Cahors & Lot Valley

  • Chambert VignoblesCahors producer making Malbec wines from limestone soils with organic and biodynamic certification.
  • Château La ReyneFive-generation Cahors estate in Leygues, making organic Malbec wines with manual vineyard work.
  • Château PineraieChâteau Pineraie is a 45 hectare Puy l'Évêque estate making Côt led Cahors red from hand sorted grapes.
  • Château PonzacCarnac-Rouffiac Cahors producer making Malbec wines from organically farmed parcels vinified separately.
  • Clos TroteligotteA Cahors estate on high altitude terroirs, farmed organically and biodynamically, with Malbec aged in clay jars.
Browse 1 more

Keep following the thread

Where to go next

placeReturn to Sud-OuestSee how Cahors & Lot Valley fits within the wider Sud-Ouest region.mapSee Cahors & Lot Valley in the AtlasKeep its neighbouring areas and producers in view.producerMeet Jean Luc Baldes-Clos TriguedinaJean Luc Baldes-Clos Triguedina is one of the producers placed in Cahors & Lot Valley.