Cuvee des Conti, Tour des Gendres, Bergerac, France

Organic white wine from classic French region of Bergerac. Complex set of flavours from a blend of Semillon, Sauvignon and Muscadelle. Expect tropical fruit, a bit grassy, some smoothness (no sharp acidity), hints of gooseberries, grapefruit and peaches.  

Food match: Good with substantial meals as it has a good body.

Wine facts:

• organic, vegan, sugar free
• grapes: Semillon (50%), Sauvignon (40%), Muscadelle (10%)
• sugar: 0 added sugar, residual sugar <1 g
• sulphites: low sulphites <20 mg
• ABV 13%   

Winemakers: Guillaume and Luc de Conti

Location (village and region): Ribagnac, Bergerac, South West France

Certified Organic by Agrocert, suitable for vegans and vegetarians, no allergens used.

SHORT HISTORY: The de Conti family originates from Italy.  It was Guillaume’s great-grand father, and Luc de Conti and Francis de Conti’s grand-father, Vincenzo, who settled in the in the village of Ribagnac (in the Bergerac A.O.C. zone) in 1925, having left Italy because of the famine and lack of work (He was a carpenter and wheelwright, making wheels for carts). He found work as a crop-sharing tenant farmer on the farm belonging to the magnificent château de Bridoire of Ribagnac. On his death in 1956, his son Primo took over the farm but refused ’the state of slavery’ that involved being a share-cropping tenant so he  simply rented the farm from the château. Primo’s two sons, Luc and Jean and their cousin, Francis all grew up together on the family farm in Ribagnac.  Francis’ father, Albert, then bought a small property with 20 hectares of vines in the nearby village of Saint Julien d’Eymet. Later on in the 1980’s, Luc and his brother, bought the farm that their family had always farmed and created an agricultural and viticultural business together. The first bottle of wine labelled ‘Château Tour des Gendres’ was produced by them in 1986. In 1990, their cousin, Francis, joined the family business, bringing with him his 20 hectares of vines at Saint Julien d’Eymet. Francis, his son, Guillaume, and Luc now run château Tour Des Gendres together.

TERROIR: Clay-limestone soils, with big pebbles.

VITICULTURE: Green harvest, leaf and bunch thinning. Manual picking and selection of ripe grapes.

YIELDS (hectolitre per hectare): 55-60 hl/ha

VINIFICATION:

• Fermentation and elevage on the lees in stainless steel vats.
• Minimal filtration
• No fining.