Corder led a recent study by British scientists that examined the health benefits of wine consumption.
A truism followed closely by Professor Roger Corder of the William Harvey Research Institute, London. "Wine is a food, a medicine and a poison - it's just a question of dose," noted 16th-century Swiss physician Paracelsus. Wine is a food, a medicine and a poison - it's just a question of dose,īut Madiran is also winning plaudits for its health benefits as well as its style and taste. These factors and the picking of riper grapes and a warmer climate, have convinced devotees that the best examples can now match some of the finest wines of all of France. The introduction of Bordeaux grapes, cabernets sauvignon and franc, to the blend (they can account for up to 40 per cent) have added structure. The technique of micro-oxygenation, developed by Madiran grower Patrick Ducournau in 1990 and now widely used across France, involves bubbling tiny amounts of oxygen through young wines, reducing the ferocity of the tannins and making the wines much smoother. Modern fashion, however, dictates that wine should be approachable much earlier and Madiran growers have cleverly managed to create a far more acceptable modern wine without compromising the individuality that makes it unique. Indeed, ravaged by the twin horrors of phylloxera and war, vineyards covered just 15 acres in the early 1950s. This lack of approachability meant that Madiran was little known, or loved, outside its home. In days gone by, the wines were guardedly closed and harshly tannic for most of their youth before eventually opening up to reveal structure, depth and spicy complexity alongside the inherent strength. I know what he means Madiran calls for something BIG.
US filmmaker Woody Allen reputedly once recommended 'elephant burger' when asked to suggest a suitable food to go with Madiran. The name of the favoured local grape, tannat, betrays the character of the wines it produces: often coarse, earthy and rustic with rough tannins, perfect for washing down the deliciously hearty duck, goose and cassoulet cooked locally. Others, myself included, prefer to believe it's because of the deep, dark, brooding colour of the wonderfully individual local red wine. The region is known locally as 'the heart of darkness', not apparently due to any similarity to Joseph Conrad's nightmare vision but, some say, after the Black Prince who frequented the area in the 14th century. Madiran is a beautiful, sleepy, wineproducing region in the south west of France among the gentle foothills of the Pyrenees, south of Armagnac.
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