The best wines from Gascogny in France

Gascony is an old French wine region that was forgotten for many years, but has been enjoying growing popularity in recent years. They are distinctive dry and sweet wines from forgotten grapes such as Tannat, Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng, Lauzet, Camaralet de Lasseube and Petit Courbu.

Madiran

In recent years, Madiran has been rediscovered by wine lovers. The winemakers have Tannat in their vineyards. They 'tame' this robust grape with ingenious vinification techniques or by blending it with other grapes. The results are striking. Not everyone likes its sometimes somewhat stiff tannins, but Madiran is a new favourite of the creative sommelier.

Béarn and Juraçon

Further south, on the foothills of the Pyrenees, the relatively unknown Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng, Lauzet, Camaralet de Lasseube and Petit Courbu grow. The first is the most interesting. It produces fresh-spicy white wines with a refined scent of flowers and herbs. In Gascony, the Petit Manseng can be left on the vine for so long that it shrivels up and only the sweet juice remains in the grape. The best Petit Manseng is therefore made as a dessert wine. In the small Béarn, beautiful sweet wines are made in this way. Jurançon is white and can be both dry and sweet.