Floc de Gascogne is a French aperitif, a specialty of the Gascony and Armagnac regions. The drink belongs to the category “mistelle” – it is a sweet wine fortified with grape alcohol. The last ingredient is the local brandy – Armagnac. Since 1990, Floc de Gascogne has had the status of a title protected by origin, but other regions of France have similar products: Pineau des Charentes in Cognac, Macvin in Jura.
Despite the fact that the drink is called wine, in fact it does not contain fermentation products: only freshly squeezed grape juice and Armagnac are included.
History
Gascons have been drinking Floc de Gascony since the 1954th century. True, earlier the drink was simply called Gascon fortified wine. The modern name appeared in XNUMX thanks to the winemaker Henri Lamor. The word floc is translated from the Occitan language (the dialect of the indigenous population of the south of France) as a “bouquet of flowers”, the literal translation of the name of alcohol is “Gascony bouquet”.
Features
Flock de Gascony consists of one third of Armagnac (local brandy) and two thirds of local grape juice. The main requirement is that both ingredients come from the same vineyard. Both white and pink variations of the drink are available on the market, the strength is 16-18 degrees.
The aroma of the drink is felt almonds, jasmine, rose, honey, spices, red fruits, orange peel, violet. Wine is drunk young, it must be consumed within a year after release, and an open bottle can be kept in the refrigerator for no longer than three months.
Production technology
For the production of flock de Gascony, filtered juice is taken, the same as for ordinary wine. Since Armagnac prevents fermentation, the drink retains all the natural sugar and is sweet.
The main grape varieties: Sauvignon, Sauvignon Gris, Ugni Blanc, Semillon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Gamay, etc. There is no strict prescription in this regard, any grape from the Armagnac region will do.
After mixing brandy with juice, the drink is aged for 10 months in oak barrels or stainless steel vats, then it must be approved by a special tasting commission, and only after that the flock de Gascony is put on the market.
Region
Floc de Gascony has the status of AOC, the borders of appellations coincide with AOC Armagnac. The beverage production area is divided into three sub-regions:
- Bas Armagnac. After the retreat of the ocean, molasse sedimentary rocks remained here.
- Tenareze. Vineyards are located on clay-limestone soils.
- Haut Armagnac. It is characterized by clay-siliceous soils.
Throughout the Armagnac zone, an oceanic climate prevails with mild, snowy winters and hot, rainy summers. According to the rules of the appellation, artificial irrigation of the vineyards is prohibited, respectively, and the harvest and the quality of the wine are completely dependent on the mercy of the weather. Production volumes are limited to 100 liters of juice for every 130 kg of berries.
How to drink Floc de Gascony
Most often, Gascon fortified wine is served as an aperitif, after cooling to 5-7 degrees or adding ice cubes to a glass. Sometimes it is drunk during or after a meal.
Flock de Gascony pairs well with melon, Pana Cotta dessert, brushwood biscuits, ham, foie gras, pancakes with syrup.
When tasting, the color of the drink is first evaluated: the white flock de Gascony should be straw-golden, pink – light red, not very saturated. Then comes the turn of the aroma: in a young wine, floral notes predominate, in a more seasoned wine – fruity. In the pink variation, blackcurrant, raspberry, strawberry are most clearly felt, in white – plum, violet, pear, lychee, honey. Finally, the taste of Gascony wine is sweet, balanced, the taste profile should not have any sour or bitter notes.
Famous brands
Flock de Gascony is not a brand owned by one company, the drink is produced in many local productions. Popular brands: Domaine de JoY, Chateau de Laubade, Domaine Chiroulet, Chateau de Ravignan, etc.