🍷 Black wine
A very dark, dense red wine; historically the name for Cahors wine made from Malbec.
Black wine was the old name for the very dark, dense red wine of Cahors in south-west France. It is made from Malbec, known locally as Côt or Auxerrois. This grape has thick, dark skins, so the wine comes out almost opaque, with firm tannins.
The fame of the black wine began in the Middle Ages. It was shipped down the Lot river to Bordeaux and on to England and other countries. In the 18th and 19th centuries Cahors wine was also known in Eastern Europe. Later the region was hit by phylloxera, and revival came in the 20th century; Cahors became an AOC in 1971. The rules require at least 70% Malbec.
The name kagor comes from this wine too: in Ukraine and Moldova it means a sweet, dark church wine, although it tastes nothing like dry Cahors. Today black wine is an image rather than a category, used for the darkest red wines and above all for Cahors.
Links
- Part of
- 🍷 Red wine
- Where it is made
- 🗺️ French wine
- Related to
- 🍇 Malbec
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Red wine, 📜 Cahors, 🍷 Kagor
Frequently asked questions
Why is Cahors called black wine?
Malbec from Cahors gives a very dark, almost opaque wine. It was called that as early as the Middle Ages.
Are Kagor and Cahors the same?
No. Cahors is a dry red French wine, while kagor is a sweet fortified church wine that only took its name from Cahors.
What grape makes the black wine of Cahors?
Mostly Malbec, at least 70%. Merlot and Tannat may be added.
Similar
🍷 Claret · 🍷 Saignée rosé · 🍷 Grower Champagne · 🍷 Château-Chalon · 🍷 Blended rosé · 🍷 Moelleux
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.