The Vignobles & Découvertes label aims to provide quality services and visits catering to wine tourism. The label appeals to a customer base that appreciates the world of wine without necessarily being connoisseurs, and offers a range of quality services: accommodation, cultural sites, leisure activities, cellar tours, restaurants, exploration of natural spaces, events and more.
Two destinations in South West France have been awarded the label: Pays des Bastides and Vignoble du Gaillac and Destination Cahors Malbec.
Destination Cahors Malbec
The Cahors Malbec destination lies to the west of Cahors in the Lot département. Fed by the Lot River, it's associated with the Cahors vineyard area (Protected Designation of Origin since 1971), which extends over 4600 hectares (~11,366 acres) spread across 45 communes.
It is the perfect tourist destination for those who love wine, and are passionately interested in its varied charms:
- the "county town", Cahors, "City of Art and History", and "Grand Site Midi-Pyrénées" with its award-winning Secret Gardens
- the Villa Cahors Malbec, which provides an excellent introduction to the vineyard area with its reception area, tourist information services, and lounge where you can taste Cahors wines, made from their iconic grape variety, Malbec
- the Lot River, which flows past the vineyards, and the Cahors-Aiguillon cycle route, which follows the back roads through the area
- the tourist road through the vineyards, past plains, and slopes, and pretty villages such as Douelle and Puy l'Evêque, with superb viewpoints along the way
- the vineyard estate tradition of welcoming visitors, exemplified at its best by the Réseau Accueil Vigneron du Lot network, which numbers nearly 70 winemakers
- the quality of local produce, expertly prepared by the restaurateurs of the Lot region, who make the most of Cahors wine: truffles, saffron, Quercy Farm lamb, Rocamadour goat's cheese...
- the numerous festivities based around wine
For all these reasons, the destination's candidature for the designation "Vignobles et Découvertes" was a natural step forward, with 98 service providers signed up for this first application.
On site, you can enjoy tasting three different Cahors wines, every day: during the season.(from 11 am to 7 pm; out of season from Monday to Friday from 11 am to 1.30 pm and 4 pm to 7 pm, and Saturdays from 11 am to 1.30 pm and 2 pm to 7 pm, €3 per person).
Tasting events and private soirées with the wine-growers can also be arranged per request, and tasting parties take place every first Thursday of the month.
UIVC – VILLA CAHORS MALBEC
Place François Mitterand
46 000 CAHORS
Tel: +33 (0)5 65 23 82 35