Pécharmant AOP

Pécharmant, an intense and seductive red wine from the South West

"Pech" means hill; and it is truly charming, this appellation which dominates the Dordogne from its sunny hillsides, north of Bergerac. On the right bank of the river, opposite the no less famous AOC Monbazillac, the Pécharmant appellation seduces with its terroir red wines. Elegant, powerful and aromatic, this typical wine is an ambassador of choice for the Bergerac-Duras vineyards and the South West.

General presentation of Pécharmant

Dating from the 11th century, it is the oldest vineyard of the Bergerac region. The vines of the Pécharmant appellation are spread out in a hemicycle to the north of Bergerac, covering just 420 hectares. They dominate the right bank of the Dordogne from the charming hill that gave its name to this south-western AOC. Facing due south, the Pecharmant vineyard, which straddles the communes of Bergerac, Creysse, Saint-Sauveur and Lembras, benefits from exceptional sunshine and a characteristic subsoil that gives the wine its typical character and taste of the land.

As elsewhere in the Bergerac region, several Bordeaux grape varieties are used in the Pecharmant blends, along with local varieties. Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc and Merlot, the most common grape variety in the Bergerac region, are blended with Malbec, also known locally as "côt". Each of them cannot exceed 65% of the vineyard. And three of these grape varieties must make up the blend.

Characteristics of Pécharmant

AOC PECHARMANT wines have a dark colour, reminiscent of dark red garnet. It has purplish tints and, with time, takes on subtle orange hues. The aromas are initially those of red and black fruits: redcurrant, raspberry, cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant. The prune adds a touch of dried fruit. There are also often notes of vanilla, undergrowth and mushroom. Some Pecharmant wines are further enriched by spices, violets, liquorice, cocoa and toast.

Dense and deep, the wine has a firm tannic structure which becomes more refined and rounded with time. The red wines of the AOC Pécharmant deserve at least 3 years of ageing before being enjoyed. These are wines for laying down; they can easily be aged for 8 to 10 years in the cellar, or even 15 years or more for the best vintages.

How to taste a Pecharmant

Powerful, dense and aromatic, a Pécharmant red wine goes naturally with game and red meats, cooked roasted or in sauce: hare à la royale, tournedos with ceps, fillet of deer, etc. Local dishes are also particularly recommended: cassoulet, duck confit or goose confit, duck parmentier, duck breast with honey...

Pecharmant can also be enjoyed with various cheeses, starting with cabécou and rocamadour, raw milk goats typical of the region.

As for the serving temperature, it is recommended to taste a glass of Pécharmant at about 17°, after decanting.