Wine Tour on the River Lot, West of Cahors

A link to a Google Map from St Cirq LaPopie to the wineries:

Le Clos d’un Jour, where they have started storing wine in earthen jars.

Veronique et Stephane Azemar

46700 Duravel

Tel/Fax : 05.65.36.56.01

email :

Olt - Cave Cooperative Les COTES D'OLT SUD

where we buy “Impernal.”

OUEST MILLESIME

CAUNEZIL

46140 PARNAC

Phone: +33 565 307 186

Fax: +33 565 303 509

Web Site:

When on the Agen-Cahors road (D653), follow 'Floressas' sign just after Tournon d'Agenais town; between small towns Saux and St Matré.

Chateau Chambert is a very well known one; pricey but safe buy.

Les Hauts Coteaux

46700 Floressas – France

Tel: +33 (0) 5 65 31 95 75

Fax: +33 (0) 5 65 31 93 56

Visitor center - Tasting Room – Sales

Monday to Friday: 9:00AM - 12:30PM and 2:00PM - 5:30PM

Saturday: 10:00 - 12:30PM and 3:00PM - 5:30PM

Clos de Gamot Winery, also very well known, also quite pricey

33 (0)5 65 22 40 26

Prayssac, 46220 FRANCE

Read more:

Chateau les Croisilles – more pricey than Clos d’un Jour

Families of the Vine Wine Tour

Over the course of 2002 and 2003, the author, Michael Sanders, spent time with three winemaking families in the Lot valley in SW France near Cahors, the city which lends its name to the wine’s appellation. Families of the Vine is his story as he follows the wine, made primarily from the Malbec grape, from vine to barrel to glass. In doing so, he seeks to capture a way of life that existed before global marketing and the influence of the American wine critic Robert Parker, who devised the ranking system. Sanders shows the winemakers in the family-owned, family-run vineyards. He 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 (e.g., "Built into the concept of terroir... is the simple acknowledgement that the French winemaker knows all this as a sailor knows from the way his boat moves through the water that his sails are trimmed as they should be"). Sanders succeeds in showing us that a knowledge of wine really can't be imparted by experts, that it takes firsthand experience and time.

Le vin de Cahors has, in recent centuries at least, always played second fiddle to its cousins from Bordeaux and Burgundy. Sanders gives a bit of history explaining that due to geography and political power, Bordeaux gained the upper hand that it still enjoys to this day, in spite of the fact that the “black wine of Cahors” was once preferred by the English over the lighter claret (the Brits’ name for Bordeaux). Cahors wine, by law a minimum of 70% malbec with merlot and tannat making up the remainder, received appellation status in 1971 thanks to native son Georges Pompidou.

In Families of the Vine, we are introduced to Yves & Martine Jouffreau-Hermann ofClos de Gamot, a vineyard dating from 1610 and whose signature wine is considered the quintessential expression of red Cahors.

Clos de Gamot

33 (0)5 65 22 40 26

Prayssac, 46220 FRANCE

Read more:

We also meet Jean-Luc Baldès of Clos Triguedina, the prodigal son who returned to the family vineyard after studying in Bordeaux.

Jean-Luc Baldès

Address: 46700 Puy-l'Evèque

Telephone: +33 (0) 5 65 21 30 81

Fax: +33 (0) 5 65 21 39 28

Finally, there is Philippe Bernède of Clos la Coutale, who favors fast cars and producing a more international (read: softer, fruitier) style of red wine.

V. Bernède et fils

Viticulteurs

46700 Vire sur Lot

FRANCE

Tel :+33 (0) 5 65 36 51 47

Fax : +33 (0) 5 65 24 63 73

e-mail :

Wine Tour on the River Lot, West of Cahors

A link to a Google Map from St Cirq LaPopie to the wineries:

Le clos d’un jour, where they have started storing wine in earthen jarsVeronique et Stephane Azemar46700 DuravelTel/Fax : 05.65.36.56.01email :

Olt - Cave Cooperative Les COTES D'OLT SUD where we buy “Impernal.”
OUEST MILLESIME
CAUNEZIL
46140 PARNAC
Phone: +33 565 307 186
Fax: +33 565 303 509
Web Site:
When on the Agen-Cahors road (D653), follow 'Floressas' sign just after Tournon d'Agenais town; between small towns Saux and St Matré.

Chateau Chambert is a very well known one; pricey but safe buy.
Les Hauts Coteaux
46700 Floressas – France
Tel: +33 (0) 5 65 31 95 75
Fax: +33 (0) 5 65 31 93 56

Visitor center - Tasting Room – Sales
Monday to Friday: 9:00AM - 12:30PM and 2:00PM - 5:30PM
Saturday: 10:00 - 12:30PM and 3:00PM - 5:30PM

Clos de Gamot Winery, also very well known, also quite pricey
33 (0)5 65 22 40 26
Prayssac, 46220 FRANCE


Read more:
Chateau les Croisilles– more pricey than Clos d’un Jour

Families of the Vine Wine Tour

Over the course of 2002 and 2003, the author, Michael Sanders, spent time with three winemaking families in the Lot valley in SW France near Cahors, the city which lends its name to the wine’s appellation.Families of the Vine is his story as he follows the wine, made primarily from the Malbec grape, from vine to barrel to glass. In doing so, he seeks to capture a way of life that existed before global marketing and the influence of the American wine critic Robert Parker, who devised the ranking system. Sanders shows the winemakers in the family-owned, family-run vineyards. He 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 (e.g., "Built into the concept of terroir... is the simple acknowledgement that the French winemaker knows all this as a sailor knows from the way his boat moves through the water that his sails are trimmed as they should be"). Sanders succeeds in showing us that a knowledge of wine really can't be imparted by experts, that it takes firsthand experience and time.

Le vin de Cahors has, in recent centuries at least, always played second fiddle to its cousins from Bordeaux and Burgundy. Sanders gives a bit of history explaining that due to geography and political power, Bordeaux gained the upper hand that it still enjoys to this day, in spite of the fact that the “black wine of Cahors” was once preferred by the English over the lighter claret (the Brits’ name for Bordeaux). Cahors wine, by law a minimum of 70% malbec with merlot and tannat making up the remainder, received appellation status in 1971 thanks to native son Georges Pompidou.

In Families of the Vine, we are introduced to Yves & Martine Jouffreau-Hermann of
Clos de Gamot, a vineyard dating from 1610 and whose signature wine is considered the quintessential expression of red Cahors.

Clos de Gamot
33 (0)5 65 22 40 26
Prayssac, 46220 FRANCE


Read more:

We also meet Jean-Luc Baldès of Clos Triguedina, the prodigal son who returned to the family vineyard after studying in Bordeaux.

Jean-Luc Baldès
Address: 46700 Puy-l'Evèque
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 65 21 30 81
Fax: +33 (0) 5 65 21 39 28

Finally, there is Philippe Bernède of Clos la Coutale, who favors fast cars and producing a more international (read: softer, fruitier) style of red wine.

V. Bernède et fils
Viticulteurs
46700 Vire sur Lot
FRANCE
Tel :+33 (0) 5 65 36 51 47
Fax : +33 (0) 5 65 24 63 73
e-mail :