AOC Côteaux de Quercy

Coteaux du Quercy is an AOC for red and rosé wines only, in the Bas-Quercy area. Its vines share the hillsides and plateaus with field crops and small woods. On the palate, the red often pairs its fruit with a hint of bell pepper and a minty touch, over firm tannins.

Three Landscapes and the Autan Wind

The Coteaux du Quercy area brings together three landscapes, and its vines are scattered in small plots across all of them. In the center, they hold the upper slopes of molasse hillsides with the most favorable exposure, at 150 to 280 meters (about 490 to 920 feet), on brown calcareous or clay-rich calcic soils, in rolling country dotted with groves.

To the north, they sit on limestone plateaus at 250 to 300 meters (about 820 to 985 feet), cut by many small valleys; the soils there are rendzinas, thin layers over limestone.

To the south, in three communes, they reach the hilltops and the edges of the Aveyron River’s alluvial terraces, on soils that mix silt, sand, gravel and clay. Those terraces cover the molasse, which resurfaces at their southern tip.

The Autan, a hot, dry wind, shapes the vine’s whole growing cycle. It speeds up budbreak, flowering and then veraison. After the August storms, it dries out the vines and so holds back fungal diseases.

History of the AOC Coteaux du Quercy

The vineyards of Coteaux du Quercy, nestled in the heart of Southwest France between the Cahors and Gaillac appellations, have a rich viticultural tradition dating back to Roman times. The controlled designation of origin AOC Coteaux du Quercy has been officially recognized since 2011, affirming the identity of these red and rosé wines, characterized by Cabernet Franc.

Climate and Terroir of the AOC Coteaux du Quercy

• Climate: The climate of Coteaux du Quercy is a degraded oceanic type, favored by the influence of Atlantic winds, providing generous sunshine and well-distributed rainfall to the vineyards.
• Soils: The appellation extends over diversified soils, mainly limestone plateaus and gravel terraces, offering the vines ideal conditions to ripen and develop complex aromatic richness.

Key Grape Varieties of the AOC Coteaux du Quercy

The grape varieties of AOC Coteaux du Quercy include Cabernet Franc (dominant), Merlot, Malbec (also known as Côt), Tannat, and Gamay for both red and rosé wines. Wines from this appellation must be blended with at least two of these grape varieties, with Cabernet Franc accounting for 30% to 80% of red blends and 40% to 90% of rosé blends.

Style of Wines AOC Coteaux du Quercy

Rosé Wine: Rosés from Coteaux du Quercy have a pale pink and shiny robe. On the nose, they reveal aromas of red fruits and citrus. On the palate, they are fresh and fruity.

Red Wine: Intense ruby color. The bouquet of red wines from the AOC Coteaux du Quercy combines notes of ripe red and black fruits (blackcurrant, raspberry) with undergrowth. On the palate, they are fleshy and full-bodied, and they mellow with age.

Best Food Pairings with AOC Coteaux du Quercy Wines

Here are some recipe ideas to accompany a bottle of wine from an estate or château in AOC Coteaux du Quercy in rosé and red:

• Rosé Wine: Grilled chorizo, Périgord salad, appetizers.
• Red Wine: Duck breast, duck confit, cassoulet.

Coteaux du Quercy: Frequently Asked Questions

When does the Autan wind blow over Coteaux du Quercy?

Over Coteaux du Quercy, the Autan wind blows mainly in spring and fall, in spells of a few days. Coming from the southeast, it can also blow hard in late summer, when it helps the grapes ripen.

Where does the name Quercy come from?

Quercy, which gives Coteaux du Quercy its name, likely takes its own from the Cadurci, a Gaulish people settled in the area before the Roman conquest. Vines arrived after that conquest, then spread across the lands of the region’s many abbeys.

Which table grape also grows in the Coteaux du Quercy area?

Chasselas, under the Chasselas de Moissac AOP, also grows in the Coteaux du Quercy area, on the molasse hillsides at its center. There, vines grown for wine stand next to vines grown for table grapes.

Where can you buy Coteaux du Quercy direct from the winemaker?

You can buy Coteaux du Quercy direct from the winemaker on Avenue des Vins. Each wine’s page names the producer who made it.

See also: AOC Cahors Wine - AOC Gaillac Wine - AOC Fronton