Press Release

Madiran wine - a well guarded secret?

Madiran is a village with origins rooted in Roman times.

An 11th century church and an old priory, dating from the same period, are still in use today and are at the centre of this beautiful old village. The old market square, water pump & communal lavette are all also still visible.

The village is on the ancient route taken by the pilgrims travelling to Santiago de Compostela, in Spain; and the Madiran wine was used by the pilgrims for the wine of the Holy Communion.

Recognised as one of the up and coming winemaking regions in south western France Madiran is situated on the borders of three departments, the Haute Pyrenees, the Pyrenees Atlantique and the Gers which collectively comprise a large part of Gascony. The area is subject to an essentially Oceanic climate with hot summers, dry autumns and relatively short and mild winters. The geology is a mixture of clay, limestone and pebbles (caillou).

The red wines from this region; 1300 hectares in total of the Madiran appellation; use mainly the Tannat grape, which usually accounts for 60% - 80% of the blend and can in some cases make up 100% of the wine. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are also used in the blended wines and these effectively round off some of the rough edges of the tannin in these wines when young. The vines are maintained at a medium height and yields are very closely managed.

Traditionally Madiran red wine was not a wine to be consumed young because of the high tannin content, however this enabled the wine to mature over a number of years, improving significantly with time. The wine was thus widely known within France but was relatively unknown elsewhere.

In the recent past however this situation has started to change.

The local winemakers produce a deep, vivid red wine.

The wine is aged in oak casks & develops on aging into a wine tasting of red berries, currants & raspberries, with over tones of smoke and flavours of spice. A Madiran is full bodied and deeply sensual wine. They are an excellent accompaniment to the traditional cuisine of the Gascon and Pyrenees regions such as confit de canard, magret of duck and the mild Fromage de Brebis (sheep cheese).

The winemakers of Madiran also produce a white wine known as Pacherenc du Vic Bilh. This wine is made from local grape varieties such as Arrufiac, Gros and Petit Manseng and Courbu in addition to more common varieties such as Sauvignon and Semillon. The vines are harvested late in the season, exclusively by hand to preserve the integrity of the grapes, and produce a sweet wine known as Moelleux. This wine is exceptional when drunk as an accompaniment to fois gras. These wines are remarkable in their finesse with a nose combining exotic fruits, flavoured with vanilla, and are a deep golden straw colour.

Two village fetes are held –

• The first held over a 4 day period around the 14/15th August. The Fete du Vin; when many of the producers collect in the grounds of the old priory & offer free tasting of all their wines. You can buy a glass for a few euros, as you enter the Fete, and spend a pleasant afternoon wandering amongst the stands and sampling the products. Dinner is served each evening in the grounds of the priory, other food is available in the village squares & salle des fete.
• The second is held over a weekend during mid November, around 18th – 19th. The producers take part in the Portes Ouvertes, when the Chateaux and Domaines open their doors for a weekend, offering tasting, food & local products for you to stock up on for Christmas. Free 4x4 vehicle rides are provided, enabling you to travel from one producer to the next, through the vineyards. At this time of year the air is clear & the views magnificent, across vines to the Pyrenees Mountains in the distance.

For wine tasting holidays, including tours of the chateaux & domaines and an introduction to the producers; or for a change of pace & a view of a different lifestyle, why not spend a day grape picking, lunching & tasting the products?

All these can be arranged for your stay at Le Prielle, including a knowledgeable driver & translator if required. Lunch & further tasting are also encouraged!
Come & share our secret, a glass of Madiran, with food, is said to be good for your health & one of the reasons for longevity in this region of the world.

Contact:
Simon & Paulette Appleby

• Email - info@leprielle.com
• Call - 0033 (0)562 317839