Madiran Red Wine

In Madiran Red Wine, which is considered to be one of the healthiest Red Wines, the variety of grape used is tannat, an often coarse, earthy and rustic variety of grape that has rough tannins produce in the South of France in an area facing the Pyrenees Mountains. Red Wines that ar considered Madiran must contain at least 40% and a maximum of 60% tannat grape according to AOC rules. The tannat grape is usually supplemented by Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Fer Servadou, and is grown in clayey-limestone type soils. Despite the rules set out by the AOC, it seems that some of the appellation's best examples of Red Wine are made from 100% Tannat grape, without running into any complaints from the regulatory bodies.

Madiran Red Wine is typically very concentrated, high in tannins and usually requires four to 8 years of aging to be at its best. The typical style of a really good example of Madiran Red Wine is somewhat similar to the best Bordeaux Red Wines and tend to have aromas of black fruits, spices and grilled bread.  Recently, however, some of the younger generation of wine makers have been experimenting with Red Wines which are softer and a bit more approachable in their youth, mirroring a similar tendency in Bordeaux and elsewhere.