Béarn AOC

Béarn (French pronunciation: [beaʁn]) is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) for wine in South West France.

It is located in the area of intersection of three French departments: Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Hautes-Pyrénées and Gers; and two regions: Aquitaine and Midi-Pyrénées.

Crossing the vineyard on the Way of St. James, pilgrims making their way to Galicia or returning from their pilgrimage popularised Béarn wine beyond regional borders.

[2] Jeanne d'Albret, mother of Henry IV of France, who was here on her land, particularly appreciated Béarn wine.

[2] In the 17th century, Béarnais protestants who exiled to Holland and England directed their wine trade to Northern Europe.

This wine region occupies the gave terraces and its Pre-Pyrenean hills, in the Jurançon and Madiran appellation areas.

This soil is highly permeable, which allows excess water to drain, but it is limited by its mediocre fertility.

The land in Jurançon consists of puddingstones, flysch and gravelly water tables, all formed by the debris of fallen rocks from the Pyrenees, carried there by the Gave de Pau.

[3] The proximity of the Pyrenees has an influence on the local climate; the mountains block masses of rain clouds, resulting in foehn winds).

[4] According to Guy Lavignac[6] this region had its own grape varieties for centuries: Bouchy, Fer, Manseng Noir, Courbu and probably others not included in its appellation.

The Pinenc, Lauzet and Camaralet varieties from the Lasseube commune are grown in very small quantities (a combined 0.26 ha in 2000), having been replaced by Sauvignon Blanc.

[4] Red Béarn wines clear the nose with notes of dark berry fruits (blueberry, cherry and blackcurrant).