The French Tuscany
Gascony is both wild and beautiful at the same time… With its rolling countryside dotted with maritime pine and cypress trees, its stunning vineyards and medieval hilltop towns, the area is one of the best preserved French treasures.
IGP Côtes de Gascogne: shaped by mountains and ocean
The vineyards are nestled on the east by the Pyrenees range of mountains and on the west by the Atlantic coastline. This outstanding location has a strong impact on the region’s climatic conditions and topography.
Source: vins-cotes-gascogne.fr
Indeed, the maritime effects of the Atlantic Ocean is very noticeable, with water currents moderating the region’s temperatures. In addition to its proximity to the Pyrenees mountains which enhances the temperature shift from day to night, the growing season in the Gascony region is very long, leading to more concentrated aromas and flavours and freshness in the fruit.
All these factors make Gascony one of the best adapted terroirs for the production of aromatic, elegant and balanced white wines.
An outstanding patchwork of Terroirs
Home to viticulture since Roman times, the IGP Côtes de Gascogne shares the same area of production as the Armagnac appellation. As for the Armagnac, the IGP Côtes de Gascogne extends along 3 main terroirs:
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- Bas-Armagnac: to the west, it is the largest area, with vines grown on clay and sand soil. White wines are renowned for their fruit forward profile, with complex floral nuances.
- Ténarèze: the heart of the IGP Côtes de Gascogne, with vines grown on limestone soil, known locally as “peyrusquets”. When soils are supplemented with clay, they are called “terreforts”. Here, white wines are aromatic, rich and textured.
- Haut-Armagnac: vines are grown on clay limestone and gravel soil. White wines show a delicate and elegant profile.
The IGP Côtes de Gascogne grape varieties
Grape varieties native to the Atlantic coast are naturally widely planted in the region. The Gascony wine region has the distinctive ability to blend indigenous grape varieties with international varieties, producing a distinctive range of wines.
Main white grape varieties: Sauvignon, Colombard, Gros Manseng, Ugni Blanc, Chardonnay
Main red grape varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Tannat
The IGP Côtes de Gascogne in figures
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- 12 000 hectares of vineyards
- White wines represent 85% of the global production
- Exports represent about 60% of its wines
- The volume of Côtes de Gascogne wines has been increasing regularly: 5% per year
LGI WINES and the IGP Côtes de Gascogne
At LGI, we endeavour to follow closely the market trends. In this context, the IGP Côtes de Gascogne allows us to craft fresh, aromatic and crisp white wines adapted to the customers taste.
This is why we have developed several flagship blends exclusively sourced in the area, from regional, to varietals and premium white wines:
Comté Tolosan
Comté Tolosan is the largest IGP of South West France. This geographic indication is home to a wide range of AOP-level appellations such as Cahors and Armagnac. The wine style we craft here is light, floral and very approachable. The perfect gateway to Gascony wines!
Sauvignon Blanc
This world-class grape variety has found its natural place on the limestone terroirs and temperate climate of the Gascony wine region. Here, we craft distinctive Sauvignon Blanc, dry and aromatic, stylish and mineral.
Colombard
We love to promote grape varieties indigenous to our wine-growing regions. Colombard is an emblematic varietal from Gascony, widely planted in the area. This complex grape variety is crisp and fresh, providing very intense aromas. In order to always satisfy our customers’ needs, we often blend Colombard with Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, bringing more body, texture and aromatic complexity to the wine.
Sauvignon, Colombard and Gros Manseng Blend
One of our most qualitative blends. The perfect balance of these three varietals, carefully crafted by our experts, offers a wine full of firmness and precision. With a luscious texture, many concentrated aromas and a mouth-watering finish, this blend has all the characteristics of a great wine.
Sweet Gros Manseng
To meet consumer demand, we also craft medium-sweet and sweet white wines from the Gros Manseng varietal. This grape variety, unique to the region, is very famous in the Jurançon area. With its naturally high level of acidity, Gros Manseng is harvested late in the season, when the level of sugar is high. This varietal produces intensely flavoured wines. With its refreshing acidity, this wine is prized for its food matching ability, particularly with foie gras and local gastronomy.
