The PACHERENC
of Vic-Bilh
The original and very old name of Pacherenc name (and not pacherin...) of Vic-Bilh come from the Gascon "Bi from Pacherads Bits" or "Wine of vine out of prop" of the area of the "Vic-Bilh" or "Old country".
This splendid name is still insufficiently recognized.
Produced on the same surface as Madiran, this name, between Jurançon and Bordeaux, product of the dry, marrowy, even liqueur-like wines white (late grape harvest). OFFICIAL PLATE
The name even of name is rather recent, since
about fifty year ago, one spoke sometimes about wine of Portet (of the name of a
village close to Viella). At the time of the agricultural Shows of Garlin in
1928, the stand was entitled "Pachereng of the slopes of Portet"(sic). One of
the first labels to speaking about Pacherenc is that of the field the Pearl in
1932. 
Paul de Cassagnac wrote that savours of this wine are delivered without turning "like the virgins Bearnaise sauces".
It is the creation of the appellation contrôlée in 1948 on the initiative of Doctor Doléris who will labellisera this term.
Pacherenc really progressed only after 1980. This development is the fruit of the implication of all the actors, co-operatives and private individuals. After having been sulky this type of wine until 1982, the Cellar of St Mount launched out there resolutely since; from 200 hl, its production passed to 8000 hl, largely produced today in Viella (45 ha). It is the moment also where one reactivates the very old tradition of the late grape harvest of ST Sylvestre in Viella to which 5 are devoted to 6 hectares.
The very sunny off-season, indeed makes it possible to gather the grapes late with full maturity (first fortnight of October in Madiran and until the end of November, even beyond for the marrowy pacherencs).
The history does not go back to yesterday. An
edict of 1745 already prohibited to collect the pacherenc, before November 4.
The vintage was carried out during the summer of the Saint-Martin to end on
November 15, day of Saint-Albert and the fair of Viella.
More close to us, in 1991, it has cold early and, in mid-November, the grapes
were still green! December had had to be waited until. From there was born the
idea to have patience until the 31... and to create the event. Since, the first
grape harvest of the year takes place with Viella (count 25€ the 1/2 bottle)!
(If you want to discover this splendid village more and its dynamism, go banner
page
quickly !)
The liqueur-like
one of the late grape harvest (of St Albert at November 15, or of St Sylvestre)
is manufactured starting from passerillés grapes (grapes blettis by the cold and
the sun where sugars concentrate but where the balance of the fruit perdure, and
in particular acidity, contrary to Sauternes, even if it is not bad all the same).
The vines reserved for this late vintage (four to five hectares) are protected from the birds by nets. The grapes are very gilded, very sweetened. Certain years, grape little to titrate up to 19 degrees of natural alcohol... Once vinified, one will obtain a liqueur-like wine with the mixed flavours of spices, honey and fruits exotic.
The wine is bottled two years after the vintage.
The diary
Dépêche du Midi explained this new market the 31/12/2003
saint_mont.html
The vintage "Saint-Albert"
is a good approach of marrowy Pacherenc with its crystallized clear fruit nose (pear,
apple, quince) and of spices, its full and balanced mouth leaves an impression
of freshness (bergamot), of good persistence.
For appreciating well, one will taste it between 10 and 12°C with aperitif, on
fresh foie gras or with the naturalness (semi-cooks) or escalopé with grapes.
With cheeses (of the Pyrenees, blue). Desserts (brioche, cream-coloured burned,
ice cream vanilla with the raspberry purée).
The dry pacherenc prefer the croups giving to the west, a little less hot, and the marrowy ones, gathered with surmaturity, prefer the slopes exposed to the south.
The pacherenc of Vic-Bilh (marrowy and dry) results from type of vines close to those to the jurançon: arrufiac (smoothness and elegance), small manseng (flavours fruity and floral the alcoholic strength can reach 17 with 19° with essential concentrations aromatic very rich for the marrowy ones), the large manseng (promptness and frame) and the courbu (roundness).
The dry ones have beautiful floral flavours, citrus fruits, dry fruits. The marrowy one of late vintage has flavours of medlars and candied fruits. The pacherenc of dry Vic-Bilh is consumed in its youth while the marrowy one improves with the age. Just like the "great vintages" of Madiran, those of marrowy Pacherenc can easily exceed 10 years of age.
Pacherenc of dry Vic-Bilh is recommended with the shells, fish and the white meats. The marrowy one is delicious with aperitif and it excels with the foie gras. To be used fresh for 8°.
Here a palmares drawn from vin.palmares.com. you will notice that the high-class wines of PACHERENC are also large madirans, name being common. The S ite on Madiran will be able to supplement your information.
wines-palmares.com
|
Hatchet |
Bettane & Desseauve |
|
Years, vintages, Jahrgänge |
97 |
98 |
99 |
00 |
01 |
02 |
98 |
99 |
00 | 01 | 02 |
| CH. of Arricau-Border | |||||||||||
| CH d' Aydie | |||||||||||
| CH. Barréjat | |||||||||||
| Dom. Berthoumieu | |||||||||||
| CH. Bouscassé | |||||||||||
| Alain Brumont/Montus | |||||||||||
| Dom. Capmartin | |||||||||||
| The Vault-Lenclos | |||||||||||
| Dom. of Crampihl | |||||||||||
| Cellar of Crouseilles | |||||||||||
| Dom. Damiens | |||||||||||
| CH. of Diusse | |||||||||||
| CH. Fitère | |||||||||||
| Dom. Labranche-Laffont | |||||||||||
| Dom. Laffont | |||||||||||
| CH. Laffitte-Teston | |||||||||||
| Dom. Laougue | |||||||||||
| CH. Mound | |||||||||||
| Dom. of Moulié | |||||||||||
| Prod. Plaimont | |||||||||||
| Vig. de Gascogne/Riscle | |||||||||||
| Dom. Sergeant | |||||||||||
| Dom. Tailleurguet | |||||||||||
| CH. of Viella |
|
Hatchet |
Bettane & Desseauve |
|
*** |
9-10 |
|
** |
8-8.5 |
|
* (or mention) |
6-7.5 |
