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The vineyard is located in the middle of 3 departements: the Gers, Pyrenées-Atlantiques and the Hautes Pyrenées. The area had been producing wine for many centuries before the Benedictine monks in the 11th Century, from their base in the 'Abbey of Madiran' lent their skills towards improving the quality of the wine.
At
the end of the 19th Century phylloxéra obliterated the wine, but
then in the middle of the 20th Century a spectacular revival began that
saw the vines grow from about 40 hectares to 1500 hectares. In 1948 that
Madiran gained its 'Appellation d'origine controllée'.
The region benefits from a variety of different soils, which when combined
with the different grape types give an extensive range of flavours to
the wines. The vines are planted on slopes which consist of 'Boulbènes
limoneuses' at the bottom, rising to pebbles and clay-chalk at the top.
The latter enhance some of the more complex wines. Grape varieties for
Madiran are predominantly Tannât, together with 
Cabernet
Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinenc or Fer Servadou. The wine produced
is of a tannic nature when young, but the wines are suitable for aging,
and soften when mature. The Pacherenc is produced with Arrufiac, Petit
and Gros Manseng, Courbu, Sauvignon and Sémillon
Madiran is a robust, intensely coloured red wine, whilst Pacherenc du Vic Bilh is a sweet white dessert wine or an aromatic dry white. Madiran in particular, can be of variable quality but we work with Chateau de Fitère in the north of the area, which produces consistently good wine.
T: +33 5 57 84 94 75 M:+33 6 71 70 44 20 E: info@france-uncorked.com