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Madiran is an appellation in southwestern France. Exclusively composed of powerful red wines, its production extends close to the Adour river in the Aquitaine basin, in the departments of Gers, Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées. The appellation is distinguished by the AOC (Appellation d’origine contrôlée) label, awarded in 1948, and the European PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) label. Its 1,300-hectare vineyard overlaps with that of Pacherenc du Vic-Bihl, an AOC appellation producing dry and sweet white wines.
Madiran has been a famous wine for centuries
The Madiran vineyard has a long history, dating back to Gallo-Roman times. Madiran enjoyed a sizeable reputation, thanks in particular to the pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela, who used it as a companion wine. It soon became a liturgical wine in the Madiran monastery, founded in 1030.
Madiran is a local wine that has been exported mainly through the Pyrenean valleys. Legend has it that it was exported to England after the conquest of Béarn by the Black Prince, who became Prince of Aquitaine in 1360. François1er gave it its first letters of nobility, describing it as a “noble wine that ages very well”. Henri IV showed it to foreign guests at his château in Pau.
Finally, it wasn’t until 1909, after the vines had been virtually wiped out by a parasite (phylloxera), that the Madiran terroir was delimited by a wine syndicate created in 1906. Thanks to the hard work of the winegrowers, the AOC was defined in 1948. Since then, they have had to comply with precise standards in order to add the Madiran appellation to their wines. Today, nearly 200 winegrowers, including 50 independents, produce Madiran wines in 37 communes in the region.
The blend must contain at least 50% Tannat, the king of Madiran grapes. The main grape varieties used to complete the blend are Fer-Servadou, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. In terms of viticulture, to qualify for the appellation, vines must have a minimum density of 4,000 vines per hectare and a maximum production of 55 hectolitres per hectare.
The Madiran vineyard is divided into 3 parts
The Madiran vineyards are located along the left bank of the Adour river, in the 3 departments of the Pyrenean Piedmont: Hautes-Pyrénées, Gers and Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The soil is composed of clay, limestone, silica and fine gravel. It’s a perfect terroir for Tannat, which is irrigated and nourished by this soil throughout its growth, allowing it to unleash all its power and full-bodied character. More precisely, there are 3 distinct terroirs: clay-limestone, which gives the wine structure and ageing potential; clay, which is a soil sensitive to the sun’s heat and produces supple, full-bodied wines; and pebbles, which retain heat and produce silky, delicate wines.
The region’s climate is conducive to good vine growth. The oceanic climate of the Atlantic Ocean, just 80 kilometers from Madiran, guarantees plenty of sunshine and cool temperatures that are ideal for vine-growing. Thanks to sufficient rainfall in spring and autumn and mild winters, good grape ripening is guaranteed. Located 60 kilometers north of the Pyrenees, at an altitude of between 180 and 300 meters facing due south, the local sinuosity also offers a good distribution of water.
Madiran production is divided into two ranges. A cuvée première gamme spends a minimum of one year in vats, and is made from a blend of Tannat and Cabernet. Its wines are fruitier, more intense and fresher. A top-of-the-range cuvée that spends at least 1 year in oak barrels, this cuvée is characterized by a very dominant Tannat. This makes Madiran more powerful yet elegant on the palate.
Madiran is a wine of great complexity
As the emblematic wine of the South-West, Madiran has a very dark ruby-red color, sometimes even black, which symbolizes its power. It should be enjoyed at a temperature of between 16° and 17° to release all its aromas. The nose offers a bouquet of red fruit, raspberry in particular. As the wine oxygenates, black fruits such as blackcurrant, cherry, blackberry and spices appear, enriching the flavor of Madiran.
Its ageing potential varies from vintage to vintage, but is generally between 5 and 10 years. This wine is said to have the highest concentration of tannins of all French wines, which is why it is aged for at least a year before being sold. Wait 5 years and it will open with fruity and spicy notes (licorice, cinnamon, roasting) that will coat your palate with all these aromas. When properly matured, Madirans wines soften their tannins and deliver a sensuality and carnality on the palate. For Madirans blends, Cabernet adds roundness and more fruity, supple and fresh aromas, and these wines are drunk younger than the 100% Tannat Madirans.
Producers’ flexibility in blending Madiran offers a wide range of possibilities. Aromas can be more or less intense, depending on the cuvée imagined by the winemaker. This makes for an accessible yet complex wine that delivers new aromatic notes over the years.
Madiran and culinary pairings
The power and elegance of a Madiran make it a perfect match for many culinary creations. Its tannic, spicy character makes it a perfect match for Iberian products (chorizo, cold meats, peppers, etc.). Madiran drinkers will appreciate this wine with game and sauced dishes.
More specifically, a young Madiran is best served with grilled or confit meats (beef, lamb, pork…). An older, more mature Madiran will enhance beef stews and daubes with porcini mushrooms. Finally, in terms of cheese, a Madiran goes very well with a Pyrenean ewe’s milk cheese or a characteristic Auvergne blue cheese.
The best years of Madiran
Annual climatic conditions define the exceptionality or otherwise of vintages produced within a geographical area. For Madiran, the vintage of the millennium is 2005, an exceptional year for many wines from the southwest region. 2000 was an exceptional vintage. The following vintages should also be recognized as excellent: 1961 and 2009. The great vintages are 1966, 1978, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1998 and 2004.
Some Madiran estates to know
Château Montus
Alain Brumont acquired the château in 1980. He set himself the challenge of creating a Madiran grand cru like those of the Médoc, while retaining tannat as the region’s flagship grape variety. In 1985, he produced a prestige cuvée from the best Madiran vintages, all aged 100% in oak barrels. This exceptional work was then recognized worldwide, and today the greatest oenologists have given it the flattering nickname of “Petrus Madiran”.
Château Sergent
Located in the commune of Maumusson in the department of Gers, the Château Sergent estate lies in the Madiran, Pacherenc du Vil-Bilh and Béarn appellations. With vines planted on 21 hectares of south-facing land, the vineyard has been awarded the HVE (high environmental value) label. The 2016 Madiran Cuvée Les Noyers Château Sergent vintage was notably awarded a gold medal at the Concours Général Agricole de Paris in 2019.
