Cahors France April 2013

Malbec World Day this year was on April 17th. It just so happened to be the day I went to visit Cahors France. Cahors on the isthmus of the Lot River is the capitol of the Lot department in Southwestern France. Today it is best known for the grapes grown in the region: the Cot, more commonly known as Malbec. Today there are 4200 hectares in the AOC of Cahors. The history of wine in this region dates back to 50 BC following the Roman conquest of the Celts. Wine lovers that the Romans were, they planted the area with vineyards. In Medieval times the wine of this region became known as the Black Wine of Lot. Pope John XXII was born in Cahors in 1249 and while he was Pope, he made Cahors wine the official table and sacramental wine of the Roman Catholic Church. The popes of his time did not live in Rome, rather Avignon. The “Avignon Popes” were known as great lovers of wine, John XXII did much to advance the viticulture of the area and the wines of the region became known as “Vin du Pape” which later became known as Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Pope John XXII built the famous chateau that is the symbol for the wines of this AOC: Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Emperor Peter I of Russia drank Cahors wine as well, and it became the sacramental wine of the Russian Orthodox Church. Other famous drinkers of this wine were Henry I of England; his wife was Eleanor of Aquitaine who brought this wine with her for their wedding. Black wine from Lot became a rival to the wines of Bordeaux at the English courts. In 1853 Domingo Faustino Sarmiento of Argentina was determined to improve the wine regions of his country. He hired Michel Aime Pouget a French soil specialist to make enhancements to the vineyards of Argentina. Pouget brings several types of vines from France, one being the Cot of Cahors. This vine does well and is now the dominant varietal in Argentina.  

The Cot of Cahors does not fare as well in France: in 1883-1885 the Great French Wine Blight hits the region, and all of the vineyards were replanted. More recently, heavy frosts occurred in 1956 and the region had to be replanted en mass. In 1971 the region achieves the distinction of and AOC. The wines produced from Cahors are generally 100% Cot, and cannot go below 70% Cot. The other 30% is a blend of Merlot and Tannat.

Cahors was a prominent city in the Middle Ages. It was known for the fact that bankers charged interest on loans, which was considered the sin of usury by the Roman Catholic Church. Because of this, Cahors is immortalized in Dante’s Inferno as a wicked place. Today, it is primarily a tourist destination as it has a well preserved medieval section, including the Cathedral of St. Etienne and a beautiful ancient bridge the Valentre.

Cathedral of St. Etienne was built as a fortress by the bishop in the end of the 11th century. The door on the north door was carved in about 1135 and depicts the Ascension of Christ. Another small panel on the door shows the stoning of Saint Etienne in remarkable detail. The cathedral is unique in its double domed architecture and it also has a beautiful cloister dating back to 1509.

The Valentre Bridge was begun in 1308 and completed in 1378. The architect of the bridge was upset with the slow progress on the bridge. Legend has it that he made a pact with the devil to speed up the work. As the bridge rapidly approached completion, the architect found a way to get out of the agreement; he gave the devil a sieve and commanded he bring water to the workers. The devil realized he’d been bested, so every night he took out the top stone of the central tower. In 1879 during bridge renovation, the architect added a small carved statue of the devil clinging to the top of the tower as a permanent memory of the legend.

One cannot drink the wine of the region without considering the food. The regional cuisine is noted for its many duck dishes, truffles, foie gras and saffron. In addition, fruits and nuts are abundantly grown including peaches, plums, strawberries, melons and grapes. Chestnuts and walnuts are plentiful, appearing in cakes, pastries, salads and many other dishes. The food is simple, traditional and wonderful to enjoy with a glass of wine. I think it’s time for lunch!