Bergerac: Chateau La Mouliere Red

First cultivated by the Romans, the South West is one of France's largest wine-producing regions, encompassing a vast and varied area to the west of (but not including) Bordeaux. Its local rivers, such as the Garonne and Dordogne, once played an important role in transporting the wines to market, though having to pass through Bordeaux and its protective trade laws left the region long overshadowed by its famous neighbour. Today, the South West is celebrated for its sweet, dry, and sparkling whites and its robust reds, made from an exceptional diversity of local grape varieties rarely found elsewhere. Its varying climates and elevations produce some genuinely distinctive and characterful wines.

Set along the Dordogne river just east of Bordeaux, Bergerac shares much of its neighbour's character and grape varieties, producing red, white, and rosé wines. The reds are built on the classic Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc, offering ripe dark fruit, supple tannins, and excellent food compatibility. The dry whites are made from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, fresh and aromatic with citrus and orchard-fruit notes, while the area is also known for sweet whites from nearby appellations such as Monbazillac.