Who makes it
Cave du Marmandais manages nearly 1,000 hectares of vineyards across the Marmandais region. It is a cooperative whose members pursue environmental certifications including High Environmental Value status.
Where it grows
The vineyards sit on hillsides overlooking both banks of the Garonne River across the Marmandais region. The Côtes du Marmandais appellation is an AOC, a regulated geographic name for wine. AOC status allows the label to carry the regional name alongside the grape names, so place and variety appear together.
The region's vineyards were devastated by Phylloxera, and many farmers shifted to other agricultural crops.
What they make
Maison Francoise Côtes de Marmandais Abouriou Merlot 2020 is a red wine whose title gives the appellation and grape names. No vineyard name appears in the title, so the bottle is identified at regional and grape level. The profile is fruit driven and savoury. Plum and blackcurrant lead into violet, black olive, cocoa and mint, with oak also present.