Château Poulvère
If I’d also included the AOCs (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) under whose auspices Château Poulvère works in the title of today’s Cork Talk, I’d have run out of space!
One of the interesting things about wineries in the Bergerac area of France is that they very often don’t produce just AOC Bergerac wines. There are a good number of chateaux whose families own vineyards in several areas nearby which fall under the category of different AOCs. A benefit of this for consumers is that one can visit one chateau and taste a variety of wines from different AOCs, perhaps even doing a comparative tasting. Different plots will have differing soils, microclimates, aspects to the sun etc – in short, terroirs. Therefore, even though perhaps the same varieties and vinification methods are being used, there will be subtle differences between these wines.
For the wineries, whilst it may mean that they have to start their harvests earlier as they will have to travel a little further, and closely coordinate the use of their fermentation vessels, cellars etc, they also have the advantage of having a pretty good chance of selling at least something to each visitor who comes knocking! And knock they do!
As you might guess, I’m in Bergerac right now where the weather has been beautiful. Covid 19 restrictions have been lifted somewhat and businesses are slowly getting back to work. Tourists, only a trickle so far relatively speaking, are reappearing so it’s no surprise to see one or two cars parked outside chateaux which advertise the availability of a degustation, a tasting.
As we arrived at Château Poulvère some Belgians were just leaving and during our tasting a French man came seeking wine for a party at the weekend. As we left, having tasted a good number of wines (well, I did, as I wasn’t the driver – be fair, it is work for me!) another car was just pulling into the drive. It’s not a surprise – Château Poulvère is perfectly placed on a corner of two country roads, which is a good start. Add to this the immaculate way the vines have been trimmed, the beautiful lawns cut and the striking multicoloured bicycles and farm machinery arranged tastefully against lovely trees and you have an extremely attractive panorama.
Entering the tasting room and shop one is transported back a few centuries (the original building was finished in 1760) – ancient tiles on the floors, wooden roof and furniture, old farming implements and more give the place a genuine antique bucolic air. We loved it, what a great way to finish our day after lake swimming and sun bathing!
When asked which wines we wanted to taste, my answer, ‘all of them’, didn’t phase our host at all, though I did simultaneously hand him my card, to let him know that I wasn’t a tourist out on a ‘jolly’!
We started with the AOC Bergerac 2018 dry white wine made with Sauvignon Blanc and the rarer Sauvignon Gris. I enjoyed the wine – it didn’t have the typical perfume of the, for me, overworked NZ Sauvignon Blancs and as all the better for it. Grassy herby aromas and a roundness on the palate, coming we were told, from the slightly richer Suavignon Gris.
A good start, bettered by the next dry white – Sauvignon Blanc again, though coming from a different plot with different soil, this time partnered with Semillon. A wholly different wine, with some mineral notes as well as the fresh acidity from the Sauvignon, aided and abetted by fuller, rounded mouth-feel from the Semillon. A touch of nectarine to add to the grassy, herby and slight gooseberry notes first detected. A bottle went straight into our basket – as had the previous!
The Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc blended red, also AOC Bergerac was quite fruity though a little thin, for me. I put this down to perhaps being because I’m so used to the fuller style of Spanish wines?
Next up was another red, but this time from AOC Pécharmant which used Merlot, both Cabernets and also just a little Malbec. This wine was 2018 as well but had a little more structure that the first red and, because of the noticeable tanning, perhaps needed a little more time. I don’t know AOC Pécharmant, so perhaps these characteristics are typical?
The 2004 red, Les Gangettes, also a Pécharmant wine, had a most unusual aroma of banana skin with some leafy brambly fruit and as it warmed a trace of the farmyard on the nose too. Farmyard aromas in Burgundy wines are not unknown, but here in the Bergerac region it suggests to me a slight fault with the wine. Perhaps it was fermented at an unusually low temperature, which I believe can bring about the banana like aromas. This one didn’t go into the basket.
I rather fancied a rosé – quite pale as is the modern trend this DO Bergerac pink is made with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It was quite a robust example of rosé wine, but that’s not a complaint. It would be good paired with cheeses and light meats and perhaps, thought this might go against the grain for some, with fois gras, which is usually partnered by sweet wine.
Enter the Château Poulvère AOC Monbazillac range! We tasted three sweet wines, the first, made with Semillon and Muscadelle was my favourite. Honeyed with some hazelnuts on the nose it was lovely. The second was a ‘vendange tardive’, late harves, 2012 wine. Sweeter and richer it would be a great dessert wine, perhaps with some strong cheese too.
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