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French Winophiles Explore Southwest France
Our French Winophiles love every corner of France from the famous to the under-the-radar regions. This month we are exploring the Southwest of France, known in-country as Sud-Ouest. This region is less well-known in part because it lives in the shadow of Bordeaux. Historically, the city of Bordeaux was an important port for shipping wines abroad. The wine merchants in Bordeaux favored their local wines and placed trade barriers for wines from other regions. This month, our French Winophiles will do our part to shine a light on the wines from Sud-Ouest with our posts. Take a look farther down in this post for links to all our Winophiles finds in the region.

Domaine de L’Astré
Domaine de L’Astré is a small winery located on the edge of the Dordogne River, outside of the Bordeaux region in the village of Sainte-Foy-Lagrande. They farm 8 hectares (about 18 acres) in organic certification with the addition of biodynamic techniques though not certified. In the winery, they take as natural approach as possible with ambient yeast fermentation, little manipulation, no fining or filtering and minimal sulfite use only at bottling. Outside of any specific appellation, their wines are labeled simply Vin de Pays. If this sounds intriguing, why not schedule a visit on your next trip to France?

Domaine de L’Astré Pèlroge Vin de Pays ($27 available online) 13%abv
This wine is a blend of 60% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon 15% Cabernet Franc. The wine is vinified with ambient yeast, a short maceration, no fining or filtering, followed by 6-7 months in steel tanks. Sulfites are extremely low at 1.5g/hl.
Eye: Medium ruby, slightly hazy (unfiltered)
Nose: Medium plus aromas of fresh blueberries, blackberries, black plums, menthol, balsam pine
Mouth: Dry, mouthwatering high acidity, medium fine-grained tannins, medium body, medium alcohol, medium plus intensity flavors, medium plus finish. The flavors follow the nose with the addition of a bit of strawberry in the fruit and the menthol/pine showing nicely.
Observations: A very nice wine, showing that Vin de Pays can be more than “just a table wine”.

Light Dinner on the Patio with Pèlroge L’Astré
We were looking for a light dinner on a beautiful spring Sunday afternoon, and we hit upon a White Bean Tapenade recipe from Bon Appetit. For fun, I served the tapenade in deconstructed fashion so we could mix and match a slice of serrano ham, pleasant ridge reserve cheese, or the white bean tapanade on our toasts. A side salad of simple greens with mustard vinaigrette finished the plate. The Pélroge L’Astré was a nice partner to the food with refreshing acidity, nice fruit and herbs. A delicious and relaxing end to the weekend!

French Winophiles Share Their Finds
Take a look at the links to my Winophiles buddies’ posts below. You’re sure to find something new you’d like to try for yourself. We’ll be holding a chat on Twitter on Saturday May 21 from 10-11am CDT at the tag #Winophiles. We’d love to hear what you have to say!

• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Garlic and Herb-Rubbed Standing Pork Rib Roast + Château Laulerie Bergerac Rosé 2020  
• Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles: Fish, cheese, and red wine. Exploring the Basque region of Irouléguy
• Jeff at Food Wine Click!: Deconstructed Tartine & Domaine de L’Astré Pèlroge
• Deanna at Wineivore: Organic Negrette & Manseng Wines from SW France Paired with Southwest Sliders
• Jane at Always Ravenous: Affordable Wines from Southwest France: Tasting & Pairings
• Cindy at Grape Experiences: A Taste of Southwest France: Nature Secrète Saint Mont 2018 and Sauteed Duck Breasts with Mushrooms
• Nicole at Somm’s Table: Encounters with Tour des Gendres Pét-Nat with a Side of Risotto
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator: Mauzac? SW France’s Domaine du Moulin Features This Unusual Grape in Methode Ancestrale Sparkler
• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm: Visiting the Wines of Southwest France outside of Bordeaux
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest: Gascony Surprise: Meet Domaine de Joÿ in Southwest France
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass: Two Tannat-based wines from Southwest France