December 15th, 2009 | 
Author: The wine of France is among the most popular attractions for many French holidays. From the Champagne Valley to Bordeaux, the country has a reputation for producing the finest vintages in Europe. But outside of the large wineries which dominate the international and national market, each region has its own strong tradition of independent wine making – and the Dordogne is no exception.
Centred in Bergerac, the ‘purple perigord‘ area of Dordogne is ideal for wine making. Several large companies have operations in the area, but for some the true strength of the area is the smaller groups – the independents.
Last week small ‘vintners’ (winemakers) from across the Dordogne and Lot gathered for a friendly competition in Chai Moncalou. 26 different small growers competed with one another for the position of the region’s best small grower.
A small jury of wine afficionados, distributors and officials across vintages subjected their offerings to a blind taste test, identifying five winners from the 26 competitors. First place went to George Manners of Bouzic, closely followed by Clos-Emilie of Saint-Julien-De-Lampon in second place.
Eric Duclaud, the cellar master at Moncalou, told Sudouest.com that he was impressed with 2009 vintages. He said that this competition demonstrated the changes that has occurred among small growers over time.
Where once local production was commonplace across France and the source of the majority of wine, industrial practices have replaced local production nearly entirely. Now small growers produce their vintages out of passion for the techniques of farming and wine making, as an amateur interest and past-time.
“Our desire is to support these small productions” said Duclaud. “We must adapt to the needs of those growers who live and grow upon our land.”
“This little production has made us optimistic because the quality is growing every year”.
Related posts:
Tags: