Test your knowledge of the wines of Gaillac
After reading our post on Gaillac wines last month, you must be an expert on one of the most famous AOCs in the Tarn. If not, it’s not too late to brush up! Pick your brain with these five questions.
1. In the 14th century, what were the wines of Gaillac called?
A. the “coqs au vin” (the “red wine chicken stew”)
B. the “vins du coq” (the “rooster wines”)
C. the “coqs en pâte” (the “roosters covered in paste”, a French phrase meaning “to be very comfortable, to be pampered”)
2. What is the nickname of the Gaillac region?
A. Little Venice
B. Little Toulouse
C. Little Tuscany
3. Which of the following grape varieties is exclusively grown in Gaillac?
A. Duras
B. Mauzac
C. Sémillon
4. Which of the following grape varieties is used to produce “Gaillac Primeur”?
A. Gamay
B. Merlot
C. Braucol
5. In Gaillac, a warm and dry wind offers ideal conditions to grow grapes. Which one is it?
A. The Sirocco
B. The Mistral
C. The Autan
How did you score? You’ll definitely shine in society at your next family gathering now!
Notes:
1. The French saying “Etre comme un coq en pâte” takes its roots in the times when roosters, precious commodities, were transported with the utmost care in order to be sold at a high price at the market or to be displayed at fairs. Some farmers would even coat their feathers in a paste to make them extra shiny. These pampered birds would henceforth be called “roosters in paste” (coqs en pâte), The expression has made its way to modern French, as roosters are such an important part of French culture.
3. Duras, along with loin de l’œil, ondenc, braucol and prunelart, is endemic to Gaillac. The mauzac grapes are also grown and used in Limoux for example to produce the well-known sparkling white Blanquette de Limoux.
4. Gaillac Primeur, albeit less famous nationally, is Beaujolais Nouveau southwestern counterpart. They’re both made with Gamay grapes and are traditionally the first wines to be commercialized every year, leading to joyful moments and festive events celebrating the terroir and the producers.
5. The Autan wind blows in Southern / Southwestern France. It is not uncommon to experience gusts up to 100km/h, especially in April and November. Old folk tales even claim that the Autan causes madness! The Mistral is a strong hitter too, but is a Southeastern wind that you will feel in Marseille.
Quiz courtesy of Le Petit Espanté, a cultural magazine made in the Tarn.