Salut/Hi Nils Gustaf Lindgren,

le/on Sun, 28 Oct 2007 20:26:23 GMT, tu disais/you said:-

>Hello,
>A select group of winos met at the home of the Dynamic Duo (self and Xina)
>yesterday. The reason: test a few Cahors of different vintages to find out
>when they are enjoyable - if ever.
>Self had made a cassoulet of game (roe buck) and provided three wines,
>Ch Theron 2002
>Ch Triguedina 1993
>Clos Du Peche de Jammes 1983.
>One of the participants brought a Ch le Caix 1997 - to a Scandinavian this

An interesting choice of wines. Not those I'd have made to see how long it
can take for Cahors to come round. I rather agree with Emery's reaction to
your subject.

Cahors is in a total mess right now. Practically no one is prepared to let
it age the 10 to 15 years it needs. Btw, "Black" Cahors! hasn't seriously
existed since '52, when the frosts destroyed the vineyards. One or two guys
are re-releasing it, but that's more for the marketing people than to sell.

There are some perfectly palatable Cahors at very reasonable prices. I am
just about finishing a 10l wine box of 2004 Ch Latuc which cost me about €3
a litre and has been drunk to general acclaim. However, "serious" Cahors,
like Ch La Caminade Clos La Commanderie, or Ch La Greze, or Ch Prieuré de
Cénac (from Rigal) or Baldès top wine, Prince Probus, all deserves to be
treated with just as much respect (and aging) as a 3rd or 5th growth Medoc.
Jyst because it's cheaper doesn't mean it's less worthy, merely a better
vfm.

As for food matches. It's like any other wine, you need to know your wine
before you look to match it with food. Most Cahors is tannic, quite rough
and meaty. Just as you'd not serve a subtle elderly 25 or 40 years old Medoc
with a great big venison casserole, so you would be mad to serve a Cahors
with some plainly roast pork.

If you make a cassoulet, THAT'S the time to pull a Cahors, and just as it
would be sad never to have the dish, so it would be sad not to match it with
a rough and tumble red that cuts through the richness of the dish and is
softened by it!

Bon appetit
Ian
La Souvigne - France