Wines – Tasting and Tours

Cahors is one of the oldest wine-growing areas in France. In the Middle Ages the region produced far more wine – and of a higher quality – than neighboring Bordeaux. Cahors exported more than three times its current annual production to England alone. At the end of the 19th C, the phylloxera completely wiped out most local wine-growers. Luckily, new vines were imported from Argentina (who had initially imported them from us!) and since the 1970s, Cahors has once more become established as a fine, quality wine. It is generally much less expensive than its better-known Bordeaux neighbor. It is the only region in France which has successfully grown the Malbec grape. The Black Wine of Cahors has its own Appellation Controllee.

Listed below are a few wineries we like and a Google Map of wineries nearby. In all cases please try to make an appointment before you go. NOTE: YOU ARE NOT IN NAPA VALLEY. You will likely be taking a family member away from work to serve you a taste. Please be respectful of their time.

Families of the Vine Wine Tour

One of our favorite books to read before you visit is Families of the Vine, a well-written non-fiction account of three family wineries nearby. The author follows the wine’s path from vine to barrel to glass. He captures a way of life that existed before global marketing. He shows the winemakers in the family-owned, family-run vineyards and describes the pathos of the harvest during the drought-ridden year of 2003. He even explains how barrels are made. Laced throughout this solid, affectionate portrait are unusual insights showing us that a knowledge of wine really can’t be imparted by experts. It takes firsthand experience and time. In Families of the Vine, we are introduced to

Design your own Wine Tour in Lot with this comprehensive list and map of wineries.