📜 Madiran

Madiran is a French protected designation of origin (AOP, formerly AOC) reserved for still red wines of south-west France. It was initially recognised by a decree of 10 July 1948. The specification used here was approved by an order of 26 November 2025, published in the Journal officiel on 29 November 2025 and in the Bulletin officiel of the agriculture ministry on 11 December 2025.

Grapes are harvested, vinified, made and aged in listed communes of three départements: Gers, Hautes-Pyrénées (including Madiran itself) and Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The name has no complementary geographical names.

Tannat is the only principal variety and must make up at least 60% of the plantings of a holding and at least 60% of the blend. The accessory varieties are Cabernet franc, Cabernet sauvignon, Fer and Manseng noir. Destemming is compulsory, and vines are planted at a minimum of 4,000 per hectare.

The yield is 55 hl/ha, with an upper limit of 60 hl/ha. The wines need a natural alcohol of at least 11.5%, and total alcohol after enrichment may not exceed 14%. After the first racking following malolactic fermentation, wines are aged at least until 15 April of the year after the harvest, in containers larger than 100 litres and not made of glass. They go on sale to consumers from 1 May of the year after the harvest.

According to the specification, the name Madiran is first cited in 1744, the vineyard reached 5,000 hectares at the end of the 18th century, and the Crouseilles cooperative was created in 1950.