When it comes to wine, I’ve always been drawn to the lesser-known regions that offer something a little different. Having spent childhood holidays in the SW France, I’ve developed a real soft spot for these more off the beaten path regions. These areas are home to some unique wines made from local grape varieties many of which you don't find outside of these areas. As they often don't have the mass appeal of internationally recognised grapes varieties they are often hard to come by in your typical wine shop.
Below are some of my favourite personal lesser known wine regions and Appellation d'Origine Contrôlées (AOC's - Given to a wine that has been produced in a specific region and usually denotes a certain style and level of quality) that I believe deserve more attention, and maybe even a feature in our wine subscription boxes this season or next.
Unique Wines From Southwest France: Jurançon And Madiran
My personal history with Southwest France goes back to numerous family holidays exploring the beautiful countryside and historic towns and villages. From Jurançon to Madiran, these are historic regions with rich tradition and winemaking knowledge. In Jurançon, the Gros and Petit Manseng grapes produce some of the most distinctive wines in France—ranging from tropical and fragrant sweet wines to the dry whites with trademark electric acidity. I love these wines and honestly think they are some of the most under appreciated and undervalued out there! The sweet wine Henri Lapouble-Laplace, Jurancon 'Clos Thou', 2020, for example made in tiny quantities is in my mind one of the best sweet wines in France and yet the price doe snot reflect it. When top Sauternes not that far away in Bordeaux are selling for silly money the more humble Jurançon's sell for a fraction of the price but for me with just as much excitement if not more. Another absolute gem is the Clos Lapeyre, La Magendia, 2019. Exotic, toasty and sweet with the archetypal electric acidity you find in Jurancon. As well as the sweets the dry whites are also sublime and the region producers the great value and the top class! Two of my favourites are the Domaine Montesquiou, Jurancon Sec, 2020 - a fantastically energetic white with a roundness and richness from sensitive ageing in barrel and Domaine Guirardel, Ugo Sans Voile, 2015 an oxidatively aged Gros & Petit Manseng with incredible complexity and layers reminiscent of fine Rancio and Palo Cortarto. This is a FINE FINE wine and yes is a lot to spend on a wine you have never heard of but trust me this is unique and incredibly special and for my money still represents value particularly when looking at other more famous French regions
The Madiran region, meanwhile, is famous for its hearty Tannat based wines, perfect for long ageing or enjoying with a substantial dinner. These BIG wines often need lots of bottle ageing as the heavily tannic Tannat grape needs time to soften. This often means the wines are best laid down for 10 plus years before they should be drunk but there are always some that buck the trend. Labranche Laffont, Madiran, 2019 is one such wine. Made by the fastidious Christine Dupry, the only female winemaker in the region, this Madrian is some how softer and more approachable in youth. Her Madiran's are full of ripe black fruit and spice and remind me of some of the great Northern Spanish reds. Critics now justly acclaim Christine and she is one of the leading winemakers in Madiran and we whole heartedly agree. Critically acclamied as one of the top winemakers of the region her wines are sublime. Its also worth checking out her beautiful dry Pacherenc. (The white AOC around the Madiran region).
There are of course countless other wines to explore from these regions but try to look out for growers who focus on the organics, biodynamics and sustainability.
Gaillac & Cahors: Top Reds And Historic Terroirs
East of Toulouse lies Gaillac, in fact one of the oldest wine growing regions in France. Despite its history, it remains off most peoples radar. The red's made from Fer Servadou (known to the locals as Braucol) offer an exciting alternative to more mainstream varieties, delivering dark fruit flavours with an irony and spicy kick. Slightly reminiscent of Loire Cabernet Franc its definitely a grape variety to look out for if this is how you like to drink. A go to for me is always the Le Champ D’Orphee, Papillon, 2022, lovely, crunchy, peppery and earthy.
Then there's Cahors, home of the Malbec. And yes I know that everyone has heard of Malbec but not everyone knows that it is French and not everyone knows that Cahors is its home. Whilst Malbec is now more commonly associated with Argentina, the Cahors Malbec is in a league of its own. Often inky black in colour these rustic Malbec's offer up notes of rich black fruits, earthy notes, and layers of spice like cinnamon and liquorice. The Château du Cèdre Cahors is one of the iconic growers of the region and as well as some top priced bottles they also have the incredibly well priced Camille Malbec. A young and juicier style of Malbec that sees no oak. Its super approachable in flavour profile and price. Other than tis I would look at any wine from Domaine De La Berangeraie. If you want to taste the classic Cahors style of Malbec that will age for a long time then look no further. You can find these wines at our local Bristol wine shop, or you can easily buy them through our online wine store.
The Alpine Charm: Jura, Savoie And Bugey
No discussion of lesser known French wine regions is complete without mentioning Jura. Nestled in Eastern France between Burgundy and Switzerland, Jura has become a super trendy fave amongst somms and wine nerds alike. The region produces everything from oxidative whites like the iconic Vin Jaune, to quirky reds made from the native Poulsard and Trousseau grapes. Home to the Arbois region (one of the first AOC's in France), Jura is an historic wine growing region that was largely forgotten about after the Second Wold War. With superstar producers like Domaine Jean Francois Ganevat and Doamine Labet putting this region back on the map the wines have had somewhat of a renaissance over the past 10 or so years and are now firmly on peoples radar. Unfortunately this means prices are sky rocketing. Although this is not going to be a cheap region it is incredibly exciting and you can still find value of you know where to look. Domaine Villet is one such producer. Christine and Gérard took over in the 80's and converted to organic viticulture in 1988, making them one of the first estates in the region to do so. The wines are by no means cheap but given the price of the aforementioned superstars above and the likes of Maison Pierre Overnoy they still represent great value for the quality. Their wines are all quintessential Jura. Focussing on the native Poulsard, Trousseau and Savagnin as well as the more recognised Chardonnay and Pinot Noirthat have a second home here being right next to Burgundy.
Further south, you’ll find the Savoie and Bugey regions offering crisp, fresh whites made from the native Jacquère or Altesse varieties, interesting reds made from the native Mondeuse and some cracking sparklings from Bugey either semi-sweet reds or traditonal method sparkling whites. If you want to try something unique, rare and truly niche, wines from the Bugey-Cerdon region, such as Philippe Balivet, Bugey Cerdon Methode Anecestrale, NV, a semi sweet sparkling pink Gamay. It has 78g of residual sugar so yes it has sweetness but with a wonderful balance between sweetness and acid that keeps you coming back. This is an amazing food pairing wine that goes great with spicy food fruit based puddings or even in my case as your Christmas Day morning tipple. It is only 7% after all so basically juice.
Some other highlights from the region for me are the Domaine Des Cotes Rousses, Coteau De La Mort. A top tier Mondeuse somewhat reminiscent of a fine northern Rhône Syrah and the Domaine Des 13 Lunes, Abymes a lean, mineral, bright and zippy wine that always delivers.
Côtes Du Forez And Jasnières: Hidden French Wine Treasures
I could go on and on with regions of France but I guess I have to stop somewhere. But for me there a a couple more standout. Although not really connected geographically these are my final picks for now...... Côtes du Forez is a small, ancient volcanic AOC in central France at the far end of the Loire valley. Its a fairly unknown region to most but it produces some amazing Gamay's which boast bags of acidity. I love the wines of Cave Verdier-Logel. They produce some awesome Gamay's that are bright, fresh and super energetic.They go great with game, mushrooms, or charcuterie, and are a must try for any natural wine enthusiast..
Another absolute gem is Jasnières in the northern Loire, covering only abut 65 hectares. If you know you know but for me Jasnieres produces some of the best Chenin Blanc in France. Domaine De Belliviere are the stars here making a range of biodynamic Chenin Blancand Pineau D'Aunis. With vines ranging from 20-80 years old their wines are concentrated, complex and ageworthy. They make various bottling of Chenin Blanc from their "entry level" off-dry Premices with bags of pear, apple and mineral notes that is an awesome pairing for spicy food to the top tier Caligramme made fro 80 year old vines that will still be drinking beautifully when most Burgundies will be tired as hell. The Caligramme is a perfect gift for any serious wine lover or collector.
Buy Rare, Organic, Biodynamic And Natural Wines Online At Cave Bristol: Discover Something New
At Cave we pride ourselves on working with small artisan producers from lesser know regions. If you're interested in exploring these lesser known French regions and more we can help your discover new go-to's. Come and check out our natural wine bar and shop in Bristol, our rare selection online or Club Cave, our quarterly wine subscription. Whether you're seeking organic, natural, or biodynamic wines, we have you covered.