Sud Ouest

The wine-producing regions of southwest France include Bergerac in the Dordogne, where red wines are based on Bordeaux-style blends of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Nearby Monbazillac is known for its sweet dessert wines – produced from grapes such as Sémillon and Muscadelle which have been affected by ‘noble rot’. The ‘black wines’ of Cahors – so named because of their deep hue – are made from Malbec, sometimes blended with Merlot and Tannat to produce full-bodied wines with rich, chocolate notes.