2004 Domaine Cosse-Maisonneuve Cahors “Les Laquets”
Excellent, too young. This youngish domaine leans more to the traditional style of Cahors, although in this case there is a modest amount of new oak. The wine is a highly aromatic, nicely fruited, and well structured wine that betrays just a slight sign of oak influence. I look forward to following its development over the next 5-10 years.
2004 Clos de Gamot Cahors
Nothing like drinking a wine 15 years too early. This is a real gem, though, super pure and with terrific spine. The wine is young, tannic, and as unspoofilated as one could ever hope to see. It’s also pretty darn nice right now. Must.Buy.More.
2005 Château du Cayrou Cahors
Superb. Wonderfully proportioned, with dark, almost sweet fruit submerged within the amply tannic structure. More open than the Gamot. Just a beauty. Also, cheap: $15, not delivered. Already.Bought.More.
I have a few in the cellar but they’re not ready. Well, maybe the '82 Cayrou. I should find a reason to pop that one. My longer Gamot and Cayrou will sleep a while yet.
We visited the area in 2007, and I fell in love with it. If I didn’t have a brewery and was 10 years younger, I’d move there. I took a 2001 Lagrazette to an Southern France off-line a year ago, and it was my WOTN although it was painfully young.
Zachary - great thread. I’m adding this region to my tannat exploration. This fits the bill of a big goal of mine for the year, explore the underthe radar regions like this.
Are there a few “go to” producers in the region? I see very little in my LWS and I’d probably have to have it ordered or find it online. The few I have tried have been good (great from the QPR perspective) but nothing has made me load up.
Great thread indeed. I have posted some Cahors TNs on the UK forum and there has been a vigorous discussion for 3 weeks. Many more TNs too.
Can I post a link here, is it allowed?
Clos La Coutale is probably the most widely available. It’s made in a youthful fruity style, and is usually pretty cheap (around $12). Kermit Lynch imports it. Georges Vigouroux has several inexpensive wines out there, including Gouleyant, Pigmentum, Chateau du Haute-Serre, Chateau Leret-Monpezat, etc. They tend to be pretty good and affordable.
Clos de Gamot and Chateau du Cayrou are stalwart traditionalists, and are run by the same family. I love their wines. They occasionally release back vintages from their cellar (I snagged some 1989 Cayrou not that long ago).
Chateau de Gaudou is an excellent, mostly traditional producer that board member Michel Abood imports. The Tradition is a great, uh, tradtionally made cuvée, and the Renaissance, which sees some new oak, is also terrific. Chateau Les Hauts d’Aglan is also an excellent traditional producer. Their cuvée “A” is especially good.
The big names on the modern side of Cahors, which I care less for, are Lagrezette, Chateau du Cèdre, Clos Triguedina, and Chateau Lamartine. Each makes good wines, but I prefer their basic cuvées over the more modern-styled fruit/oak bombs. Lagrezette is the most over the top, producing a superduper luxury cuvée called Le Pigeonnier that costs upwards of $150 and has little to do with Cahors terroir.
If you want to read about the Cahors region, check out the book Families of the Vine. It chronicles the 2003 year and features Cayrou and Gamot prominently, along with referencing lots (yes, pun intended!) of other producers.
Love Cahors. Coustarelle is one of our best sellers. Also like Clos La Coutale, Lagrazette and few others I can’t think of at the moment. Before we started bringing in some Argentinian Malbec (totally different, I know) we would always steer people to Cahors.
Heard a story once that Cahors was one of Ernest Hemmingway’s favorite wines while living in France.
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