Located in the south-west of France, halfway between the Atlantic
Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, 35 km west from the city
of Cahors, the Château Paillas lies on the edge of the plateau
overlooking the Lot Valley on the town of Floressas at an
altitude of 240 meters.
All the vines of Chateau Paillas, classified in Appellation
d’Origine Controllée Cahors, were planted in 1978 on a single
plot of 27 hectares, which extends in a half circle around
the winery.
A remarkable terroir…
Through its soil first : From
Jurassic era (150 millions years bc), it was deteriorated over
the years on a very small thickness, becoming of limestone
and clay, with some parts of ferruginous red earth.
Then its microclimate : The Château Paillas, on the plateau,
benefits of the effects of the wind, and avoids the morning
fog in the valley. Finally, with a slight slope to the south,
the vines are keeping the most of the sunshine which allows
refinement of maturity.
… which matches with
a grape : The Malbec
In Cahors, the historic
grape is Malbec (also called Cot Noir or locally Auxerrois).
It is almost a national exclusivity because rarely used in
France outside of the Cahors production area where it gives
its best.
The statutory order of the Appellation Cahors Contrôlée requires
a minimum 70% of Malbec, in the Château Paillas wine, it is
about 90%. The Malbec gives the wine, in addition to its powerful
aromas and its strong tannic structure, a color so dark it
is also called Black Wine.
In Château Paillas wine, Malbec is blended with a slight proportion
of Merlot.
