Wine of Marcillac

The beautiful village of Marcillac Vallon is associated with its wine bearing the same name Marcillac with its vineyard the Fer Servadou to 90% (additional grape varieties: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot). This rather confidential grape must be recognized because it is an actor, like the other grape varieties, of the aromas, of the nose and the dress of a wine. But this particular grape has particular characteristics, it is resistant to frost and diseases by iron. Specifically, it is resistant to gray mold and mildew but is susceptible to leafhoppers. This grape variety, the Fer Servardou (called: Mansois in the Aveyron and Braucol in Gaillac in the Tarn), is a black grape variety, with wine shoots and woods “hard as iron”. This iron is used alone for wines of AOC Marcillac and compulsory grape variety in the assembly at Gaillac. (These wines are characterized by a supportive dress, expressive and round tannins). The aroma of Marcillac wines varies according to the maturity of the harvest, evolving from vegetable odors to aromas of red fruits, especially black currant. Its aromatic characteristics are original and not without interest in a market dominated by a uniformity of the organoleptic characteristics of the wines produced from a few “ubiquist” grape varieties of high reputation (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir … in red and Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Chenin in white). The Fer Servadou is a varietal with a potential not negligible because it is cultivated and vinified according to techniques imprinted with empiricism not always allowing to value the aromatic potential of this varietal. The IFV (French Institute of Vine and Wine) of the Southwest introduces a research program whose objective is to evaluate and master the aromatic characteristics developed by Fer Servadou. The result of this research is to provide professionals with the tools necessary for the management and the valorization of their production, highlighting the factors of the soil (soil, climate, mineral nutrition of the vine) that influence the quality of the grapes and wines of Fer Servadou. The new generation of winegrowers is working in this direction, on the personality of their cuvée thanks to these studies and to the strong aromatic potential that this vine, the Servadou iron, has.