Getting the "Floc" out is a common occurrence in the South West of France.
I get the "Floc" out often although I'm pretty sure most French don't snigger like kids when they do, the joke just doesn't seem to grow old with me.
I know, it doesn't take much.
If you're wondering what I'm prattling on about, I'm talking about one of the regional drinks here in SW France, the little known Floc de Gascogne.
Why am I writing about it?
Because it's one of those drinks that needs to be talked about and shared.
It's an incredible drink and one which is, sadly, undersold and under exported for many reasons.
One of the reasons is that it's a fortified wine and the demand for fortified wines around the world outside or port or sherry, just isn't there.
Don't be put off by the "fortified" bit, I'll explain that part, just be sure that this drink is awesome!
Every region of France has it's own version of a fortified wine (also called vin de liqueur or mistelle) which is drunk as an aperitif or as a dessert accompaniment.
Cognac has Pineau de Charentes, the Rhône has Rinquinquin, there's Cartagene from the Languedoc and Macvin from the Jura just to name a few.
Mostly though "Floc" is drunk before dinner as an aperitif, often accompanied with tasty treats local to the area and often produced or reared locally.
"Floc" comes in white, red and rose styles meaning they've got the seasonal changes covered so you can drink it year round - bonus!
Comments
by Nicole - Champa... (not verified) Jan 03, 2016 Permalink
That sounds delicious! Any idea what grape varieties they most commonly use? Or is it just a lovely little field blend?
Thank you for linking up with #winenot
by di Jan 06, 2016 Permalink
Hi Nicole - grape varieties are definitely local to the region but as the region borders onto Bordeaux some will be familiar to you.
For the rosé/red Floc they use a blend of Cab. Franc, Cab. Sauvignon and Merlot - the primary red grapes of Bordeaux
For the white they use Colombard, Ugni Blanc and Gros Manseg - Colombard is the primary white grape of the Gascogne Region, Ugni Blanc is the main grape used in both Armagnac and Cognac production and Gros Manseng is a really popular white grape variety throughout the SW of France
by Jerry (not verified) Jun 12, 2017 Permalink
Is any one Floc "better" than another. Which are your favorite brands.
Are high quality Armagnacs used?
by di Jun 14, 2017 Permalink
Hi Jerry, yes some Flocs are better than others, however finding them generally means paying a visit to a vigneron. For the main stream Flocs I know I can get consistant quality from Roche Frères so I use that as a typical Floc example for my tastings. Speciality wine stores may sell others but you will need to sample to see what your preference is - the best bit in my opinion!
Floc's production is regulated under AOC laws so there isn't a huge difference in terms of alcohol level and sweetness but definitely there are differences in bouquet - some are super floral, some super fruity. As with a lot of SW wines, there are a lot of them and they are very different so I would advise a visit to some vineyards, try some and find what suits you.
In terms of Armagnac quality, the best Armagnacs are bottled to be aged and drunk separately. For Floc production it is the lesser/bulk quality Armagnac that they use.
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