Three meetings, they say, is enough to start to know a person or a shop. In the year 2000 , we went on a family vacation to the mid-Dordogne in France. And like so many tourists, we visited the famous underground river and grottoes of Padirac. Our attention was drawn, however, to a wineshop with a cask outside and wide open doors. We could not resist the invitation of "Chateau Lagrézette" ("you never can, said Angela"), and met with a friendly shopkeeper. He soon noticed that we were "connaisseurs" to some degree, and, at the end of the tasting, he said: "I now have a surprise, which I do not offer to most visitors". He solemnly opened a thick Burgundy type bottle of Le Pigeonnier. We were more than surprised at this magnificent Cahors, yet could not afford the price. Instead we took some of the other wines, especially the Dame Honneur 1997.

In 2001, we visited the chateau itself: a majestic white castle with red roof looking like a seigneur over the vineyards below. We had an appointment to visit the caves. The reception was rather cool, and we could taste only 2 wines. And buying was impossible, "because we are Sunday today".

This year, we were back in the Dordogne, and visited Padirac again and, of course, the wine shop (one of 4 they have in the region). We immediately recognized the same shopkeeper, and, after some clarification, he indeed remembered "those Belgians who especially like the Dame Honneur".

Tasting started with something new "un rosé de plaisir Fleur de grézette", which, at only 5,4 €, really pleased us: fine fruity, freshly acid, juicy, sunny. See the first wine to the left in the picture above.

Next came a first surprise: a Viognier coming from a newly restored vineyard in world famous Rocamadour. This was, no doubt, our greatest discovery of the day - a wine which reminded us of the great whites of the Northern Rhone.

After a generic red Cahors - a bit too much the old green tannic style - we came upon the four star wines you can see on the picture above: Chevaliers Lagrézette, Chateau Lagrézette, Dame Honneur and, yes, Le Pigeonnier. See our tasting notes below! We can only say that we experienced the "jouissance" of great wine in great company.

But who is the "man behind the chateau?". In Belgium, we all know tycoon Albert Frère, who, a few years ago, left the country and bought famous chateau Cheval Blanc in St. Emilion. Something similar happened to Lagrézette. Alain Dominique Perrin, then CEO of Cartier in Paris, "stumbled", as he says, upon the somewhat neglected chateau, fell in love with it, and began an adventure of restoration of both the castle, the caves and the vineyards. He was not a winemaker, so he hired well-known Michel Rolland from Bordeaux as consultant, and brought a special cuvée to the market in 1997, called "Le Pigeonnier". That is not simply a nice name, but it refers to the dove tower right in the middle of the vineyard next to the castle. It was Rolland who insisted to make a separate cuvée from the grapes of these old vines, because "there is a very great promise here".

Perrin, now living in London, is not just a chatedau owner. He pursues two major goals: to "put Cahors back on the wine world map", and to gain a 100 score from Parker with his top wine. He seems to be well on his way with this latter goal, since the 2001 was awarded an astonishing 95/100. As to Cahors, he founded a quality winemakers club "Seigneurs de Cahors" in 1995, but met with resistance to some of his high demands, and left the matter as it was in 2002. Since then, he goes his solo ways. On the other hand, there is a sequel to his initiative: the "Charte de qualité", started in 2003, grouping about 20 winemakers who are now recognized worldwide - among them Le Cèdre, Triguedina, Clos La Coutale...

A few conclusions after our third visit to the region:

1. Cahors is experiencing a true quality renaissance, with wines that have a perfect fruit-acid-tannin balance, while still being "Malbecish"

2. Cahors is experimenting with white wines, and has already reached high levels there too

3. Ecological and biodynamic methods are being used more and more

4. The wine region west of Cahors is enchantingly beautiful, with its river Lot winding through green valleys and cobble-stone covered brown soil.