TWO FROM CAHORS - ONE A GOLD MEDAL WINNER

CAHORS RAID NETS TWO GOOD 'UNS

One day last June, made a trip through the Cahors Vineyards. Started by visiting a couple of sleepy villages, got lost in the middle and ended up by purchasing a couple of cases in Parnac. 

In the bastide town of Montcabrier, pigeons cooed while children babbled contentedly in the school. More sounds of contentment in Duravel where the local café was doing quite a lunch-time trade.

A meander in the Lot

Then onto the River Lot and the quayside of Puy-L’Eveque, once a river port. Fine views here of the river and the old town and vineyards in the near distance. Views kept getting better. High up in Belaye, we had stunning views of both the Lot and Cahors Valley.

And even that was outdone when we called to nearby Albas which overlooks the Lot from a cliff. A few kilometres outside the two we got a magnificent view as the river formed a huge U shape in the valley below.

Despite the sign, was lost when I took this one

Then passed through the ancient Cathar fiefdom of Luzech and its imposing 12^th century keep before getting down to business in the little village of Parnac. Here the Cave Cooperative du Vignoble de Cahors (you see Les Cotes d’Olt on the signs) have a massive cave with a fine shop.

After a few tastings we settled on a Château Les Bouysses 2002 (€7.40 a bottle) and a Cotes D’OIt Malbec 2005 (€4.00), some rewards for a hard slog in the car.

Cotes D’OIt Cahors Malbec 2008: Aroma of black fruits and a deep red colour from this 100% Malbec. On the palate, it is well endowed with fruit, plum especially, and tannins enough to dry gums but nothing extreme. It is well balanced, velvety, almost creamy. There may well be more to come from it as “Good potential for aging” is written on the back label. 

PR: 7.5

Chateau Les Bouysses 2002, Cahors 2002: This won a Gold Medal in Macon in 2005 and is a blend of mainly Malbec (Auxerrois) and Merlot and boasts on the front label that is has been in oak: “Eleve en fut de chene.”

The nose is of black plum and cherries and the colour is red going on black. It is juicy and well flavoured with an adequate amount of tannin and hints of its time in oak. Supple with a decent weight and a good finish, there is very little not to like about this one. PR: 8.5