French Malbec - Malbec de Cahors

The secret of the Cahors Black Wine

nospam@example.com (Evelyne Lejeune) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:54:24 +0200

The secret... ? It is the alchemy between the soil, a specific vine and grape growers. Nowhere other than in the Lot valley has the Malbec grape produced wines with such a depth. Our ancestors in the Middle Ages strived to make it even more concentrated by heating some of the grapes in cauldrons. It is not the case any more but Cahors wines continue to be black and defy time. Its intensity and richness in tannins are the key to its eternal youthful robe: certain Cahors places are still serving a rare 1950 vintage!

August 9, 2008: Cahors Wine Festival

nospam@example.com (Evelyne Lejeune) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:44:41 +0200

If you are in France in August and missed our wonderful International Malbec Days, you have a chance to catch up: the Cahors Wine Fetsival is happening in Puy-L'Eveque on August 9.

Read all the details in frenchduck.com blog!

Zette puts back the Black Wine of Cahors on the map

nospam@example.com (Evelyne Lejeune) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:17:35 +0200

Zette, the wine launched by the famous Château de Lagrezette, is strongly recommended on a wine blog for its qualities:

"JUICY, FULLER-BODIED REDS

Zette 2003 Malbec, Cahors | $11

The ground-floor wine from Domaine de Lagrezette, which is looking to put the once-famous “black wines” of Cahors, in the southwest of France, back on the map. A stone bargain, with lush depths of wonderful sappy, ripe blueberry/blackberry fruit. (Frederick Wildman)"

It is very interesting to note that, when A.D. Perrin creates the "Pourpre" brand to counter the black wine strategy, his own wine is considered as one of the best representatives of this category.

Zette is here! Zette is black!

nospam@example.com (Evelyne Lejeune) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:51:24 +0200

The last born of Chateau Lagrezette is called... Zette. It is a very cute little girl, coming first in black. She likes all things chic and tells you everything in her blog. And, of course, don't miss the interview of her "father", Alain-Dominique Perrin, owner of Chateau Lagrezette. Intrigued by Zette? Come and meet her on her new website!

Nick Cave and the Black Wine of Cahors

nospam@example.com (Evelyne Lejeune) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:28:48 +0200

Do you know Nick Cave? The name rung a bell in my head but a quick search on the Net told me he's a big star with his band, The Bad Seeds. Why do I tell you about Nick and his band? Because I just read a great post on Cahors wines in relation to Nick Cave.

Juel M. Darkly is the author of a great blog on wine and music. It's funny, young and trendy as well as well documented on wine and music. I tremendously enjoyed it and I strongly recommend it to anybody in love with wine and music.

Anyway - I'm out of subject, as my English teacher would tell me. Let's go back to Nick Cave and the Black Wine of Cahors. This is the dark and romantic side of the wine that suggested to Juel to recommend the Cahors wines to the artist: "Some wines aspire to ring-tones, these wines are epic ballads. They take some time to yield in the glass, they are not instant and fun, you could say they are gruff and unfriendly; but once the story in the glass unfolds, it’s worth the wait."

This post reads as a poem. Enjoy!

Malbec in... Paris!

nospam@example.com (Evelyne Lejeune) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:22:05 +0200

The long established vineyard Clos Montmartre in Paris, just behind Sacre Coeur, must now face new competition. It is the Bretonneau hospital in the 18th arrondisment that has launched its first vintage of Clos Bretonneau. Three years ago they planted 125 Malbec vines and at the end of May the first vintage, the 2007 were presented. A very decent, fruity and unpretentious wine, in particular considering the vines are only three years old.

The wine is vinified at the hospital in its own wine cellar equipped with stainless steel tanks and all! Veronique Desjardins, the hospital director, sees the new vineyard as an important part of the therapy for the patients (old-age people needing constant hospital treatment): "It revives old memories – who has not harvested grapes once when young? It becomes a discussion subject and the patients can even help with the harvest." To serve wine at the meals at the hospital is self evident in this place.

Consulting winemaker is Fabrice Duron from Chateau de Gaudou in Cahors. "Clos Bretonneau is a micro-cuvée", he says, "but it's made just like the wines I make at home and I'm very proud of this vintage. But the vines are young and it will only get better!"

French Malbec, Black Wine and Château du Cèdre in New Orleans

nospam@example.com (Evelyne Lejeune) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:42:53 +0200

Last week, I was speaking at the International Conference of the "Society of Wine educators" in New Orleans on Web Marketing for the wine industry. One of the most appreciated part was the case study of the Black Wine of Cahors. What was more appropriate than the two blogs of the UIVC to explain what Web marketing is about for the wine industry?

Let's go back in time. In January 2007, after the convention in Cahors on the "Black Paradox", the French blog blackisphere.fr is open and meets the success we all know: more than 30,000 unique readers a month! In December, launch of a second blog, in English, to promote the Cahors grape, the Malbec and the Malbec International Days in April 2008. The two topics of the marketing campaign of the UIVC are covered: Cahors is black! Cahors is Malbec!

To illustrate my point I had the privilege of having the 2004 Prestige Château du Cèdre: the attendants of my session were in awe of its dark color, rich and smooth taste. It was the treat we deserved to digest the dryness of the subject!

Presenting Château Le Cèdre in New Orleans

nospam@example.com (Evelyne Lejeune) — Tue, 27 May 2008 13:50:36 +0200

Tomorrow the modest author of this blog will be on her way to New Orleans, Louisiana to attend the International Conference of the Society of Wine Educators. I'll also speak at the conference on "Web Marketing: Success Strategies for the Wine Business". My session is illustrated by the successful story of the two blogs of the UIVC, blackisphere.fr and french-malbec.com. Thanks to the generosity of the Château Le Cèdre, I'll end up my session with a tasting of its excellent Prestige 2004.

There are also two tastings of Argentinian Malbecs I'll attend with prestigious speakers. I look forward to telling you all my discoveries in New Orleans. See you on Tuesday, June 3rd!