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On the left bank of the Garonne, east of Bordeaux, there are 40 kilometres of
east and north-east facing hillsides backing up to the Landes forest, which together
make up the Buzet appellation. Producers in this area boast of a hotter, drier southern
climate, as opposed to the damper Atlantic weather of the Bordeaux region.
Known since the middle ages, the vignoble extends between Agen and Casteljaloux in the
highlands around Bordeaux. First cultivated around the abbeys of Fonclaire, Buzet and
St. Vincent, the area was expanded by the merchants of Agen who were thriving during
this period by their association with the English. Unfortunately, their neighbours in
Bordeaux obtained a protection decree from Eleanor of Aquitaine, "corking" all other
wines and allowing only the Bordeaux producers the right to sell their wines to foreign
buyers. It was not until 1776, when the law was abolished, that the Buzet wines could
begin to compete with its better-known neighbour.
Twenty-seven communities make up the Buzet region, which extend along the bank of the
Garonne River. The region is bordered to the west by the forest of Landes, and to the
south by the Auvignon, Nerac and Calignac rivers.
During the Hundred Years War, the town of Buzet was a Catholic bastion. The castle was
pillaged and burnt down by the English in the 13th century. Nowadays, however, the name
Buzet is better known for wine production. Although the area has been producing wine for
some 2,000 years, it has had to work hard to create its own identity. The wine was greatly
appreciated by the bourgeoisie in Agen who developed good trade links with northern Europe.
Later, Buzet became a favourite with Henry the VI, at that time Prince of Albret, and also
gained a reputation because it was being drunk by the musketeers.
At the end of the 19th century Buzet wines went into severe decline, suffering the ravages
of the dreaded phylloxera, a parasite insect that destroyed the vines. The subsequent
replanting of mediocre and hybrid grapes had disastrous consequences too, making the wine
unacceptable as part of the Bordeaux trade. The final blow came in 1911, when it was decreed
that only vineyards in the Gironde area could be used in the production of Bordeaux wines.
This effectively outlawed Buzet. The return to favour and status has been slow but steady.
In 1953 the wine gained VDQS status (Vineyard Data Quantification Society) and became an
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in 1973. Production has increased accordingly, and
has shot up from 235 hectares of vines in 1953 to more than 1,800 today, 92% of which is
of AOC standard. Buzet wines can now proudly hold their own again.
The Wines
Buzet produces essentially red wines. They are very aromatic and fruity, often with hints
of vanilla. They go well with local dishes such as magret or confit of duck, rabbit with
prunes, or rack of lamb.
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