Cahors is one of the most important wine regions in southwestern France yet here in the US it gets very little recognition, I’m here to change that. The black wines of Cahors were once more prominent than the wines of Bordeaux, with evidence of these wines being sold in London as far back as the 13th century. A ton of investment has been made in the region over the past two decades and a new wave of young vignerons are producing some of the finest wines the region has ever produced. A lot of these new Cahors reds are consumed locally. If you’re visiting France’s Sud-Ouest and dining in Toulouse, Carcassonne, or Narbonne chances are it’s a great bottle of Cahors you’ll be enjoying at the dinner table.

Chateau du Cedre Heritage Cahors 2018

Buy a case – pay $15.95 net  - US best price online!
Six bottles - $16.99 net
Anything less – sale $17.99

91 pts Wine Enthusiast

The town of Cahors lies about 100 miles east of Bordeaux, on the banks of the Lot river. Viticulture was first brought to this region by the Romans in the conquest of Gaul in 50 BC. Equidistant from the Atlantic (to the west) and Mediterranean to the (southeast), the Cahors region has very unique climate. The winters cold but the summers much sunnier and warmer than Bordeaux, producing near perfect phenolic ripeness with ease. In fact, before AOC stipulations prevented it, the Malbec grown in Cahors was often used to add color and body to the wines of Bordeaux.

Owned and operated by the Verhaeghe family since 1958, the Chateau du Cedre estate has been one of the leading producers in Cahors for decades. Today brothers Pascal and Verhaeghe farm 27 hectares of vines, and all of their vineyards are certified organic. This Heritage cuvee is a blend of 95% Malbec (known locally as either Cot or Auxerrois) with 5% Merlot. The fruit comes from their rocky limestone vineyards on the Cahors plateau (the Causses) and the gravelly iron-rich terrasses of the Lot River valley. This combination of soil types and vines ranging from 25-30+ years old gives this wine a lot of complexity which belies the price point. Fermentation and ageing takes place in mostly concrete tanks preserve the purity of the fruit, producing a classically styled table ready Cahors that you can enjoy now. My sister lives in Toulouse (not far from Cahors) and its wines just like this that serve as the perfect accompaniment to so much of the local French cuisine we enjoy when I visit. With aromas of blackcurrant, violets, cracked pepper and black olive its instantly alluring. A fresh palate follows with pure blackberries, really fine tannins and a long finish that’s bright with limestone minerals. Delicious by itself, a great pairing for cassoulet, or perhaps some grilled lamb chops with couscous.

“A rich, fruity and structured wine, this is full of black currant fruits. Its rich tannins are fully blended into the wine's intense fruitiness. Just the touch of minerality is a reminder that it is still aging.” - WE


Or reply. The wine will be available Tuesday in Chapel Hill. Wednesday, as ordered, in Hillsborough.