Made in the Dordogne Valley
WINES & WINERIES
With its rich soil and perfect grape growing conditions, The Dordogne Valley has historically been full of vineyards, and wine production was a major activity for centuries. Then in the 1850s The Great French Wine Blight arrived causing absolute carnage to wine production as the phylloxera disease decimated vines throughout France. In the Dordogne Valley it was largely abandoned and wine growers turned instead to truffle farming and walnut production.
Recently wine making has enjoyed a renaissance and some excellent boutique wineries have emerged. These dynamic vineyards have punched above their weight and gained a reputation for quality.
Coteaux de Glanes & Roc-Amadour
A cooperative of wine making families have pooled their talents to create the Coteaux de Glanes winery. It is one of the smallest wineries in France, made up of a mere 40
hectares near the Gouffre de Padirac chasm. They produce small but excellent batches of rosés, whites and reds.
Success has come for their main varieties of Merlot and the award-winning Merlot-Gamay blend in particular. Another boutique winery with a growing reputation for fruity reds and rosés is the Roc-Amadour winery which has only recently rekindled a history of cultivation that first stemmed back to Roman times.
www.coteauxdeglanes.fr www.visit-dordogne-valley.co.uk
Mille et une Pierres & Miel des Muses
The Mille et une Pierres winery is part of the Vins de Corrèze, awarded with an AOP (Protected Designation of Origin) in 2017.
Home to organic wine, this vineyard is also a leader in the making of Vin Paillé (straw wine). Following a winemaking tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages, grapes are dried on straw for an extended period before pressing and fermentation. Matured for up to two years before bottling, the sweet result can be served as an aperitif or as the perfect accompaniment, paired with Foie Gras. Employing the same medieval wine making techniques, the Miel des Muses straw wine produced at the Domaine du Bas Queyssac vineyard has been made here for over a century. 7kg of grapes are required to get one bottle of this delectably sweet nectar. www.1001-pierres.com www.domainedubasqueyssac.com
Les Coteaux de la Vézère
The Coteaux de la Vézère vineyard only extends across the villages of Allassac, Donzenac and Voutezac, twenty or so minutes from Brive-la-Gaillarde. The heritage and landscape of Pays de Brive have been shaped by viticulture through the centuries. All the vines planted since 2013 are organic, and since 2018 the vineyard is entire converted. The first organic wines were produced in 2018. www.coteaux-vezere.fr/en
100% MADE IN BRIVE:
THE DENOISELLE COCKTAIL
With over 180 years of know-how behind them, this leading distillery has created a cocktail to rival the Mojito - entirely concocted in Brive. Sylvie, the youngest member of the family-run Denoix distillery, is the mastermind behind the ‘Denoiselle’ cocktail created in honour of her grandfather.
Originally commissioned for the Brive Music Festival, it is a natural, light and airy affair. Made with the ‘Fenouillette’ and ‘Gignac sec’ liqueurs from the Denoix distillery, it
is complemented with a mix of sparkling water, lime, cucumber and mint leaves. A smooth, refreshing and very drinkable rival to the Mojito.
www.brive-tourisme.com/fr/pour-se-regaler/recettes- gaillardes/entree/la-distillerie-denoix-lance-son-premier- cocktail-made-in-brive-la-denoiselle/
LA VIEILLE PRUNE
The distillery of Louis Roque in Souillac-sur-Dordogne makes one of the most famous plum brandy liqueurs in France. This handmade high-end delicacy is sold in only the best restaurants, as three generations have passed on the secrets of distilling the Vieille Prune since its inception in 1905. Distillery tours, followed by free tastings, enlighten visitors on the process of creating this famous digestif, available for purchase along with other liqueurs and local favourites.
LA RESQUILHÈTE, A COCKTAIL MADE IN THE DORDOGNE VALLEY
With strawberries from Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne and a good glug of Cointreau, this is a perfect drink for a sunny summer evening. Its name comes from the Occitan word meaning skimming stone.
Recipe:
1cl of strawberry syrup 2cl of lemon juice
4cl of Cointreau Mint leaf Sparkling water Ice cubes
Fresh strawberry for decoration
LOU PE DE GRIL
This unique and distinctive liqueur is made entirely from hand-picked wild dandelions. Francine and Maurice make their very own recipe in the village of Curemonte, near Collonges-la-Rouge.
LA SALAMANDRE DISTILLERY
From the highest graded fresh fruit of the Périgord, pears, plums, cherries, raspberries and more are alchemised into mouthwatering brandies, liqueurs and aperitifs. Run by the Gatinel family for generations, traditional recipes dating from this family’s ancestral heritage have been distilledinto flavoursome delights for sipping with friends. www.distillerie-salamandre.com
