TOAD HALL WINES LTD

Toad Hall Wines Ltd specialises in selling wines from the South-West of France, and in particular from the Gaillac vineyard. There is an increasing awareness and appreciation of the wines from this area, and we believe that our list comprises some wonderful examples of the distinctive and delicious wines that Gaillac has to offer.

The Gaillac vineyard lies within the Tarn department, which is one of the most attractive areas of France. The Tarn boasts spectacular river gorges, densely forested hills, and the wide swathe of gently rolling country either side of the River Tarn, where the vineyards are situated. Particular places of interest include the city of Albi, with its 12th century Cathedral of Saint-Cecile and the Toulouse Lautrec Museum; the many medieval bastide villages, the best known of which include Cordes-sur-Ciel and Castelnau-de-Montmiral, and the historical towns of Gaillac and Castres. Vines have been cultivated in the area since Roman times in around 125BC, and by the end of the first century AD, the Gaillac vineyard was well established. Rather than mimicking the wines of Bordeaux and other better known regions by planting ubiquitous grape varieties, the modern day Gaillac producers have wisely decided to maintain the unique character of their wine, by retaining the area's historical grape varieties as its principal components. This policy, together with the effective use of modern wine-making techniques and strict quality controls, has resulted in the production of distinctive wines which are becoming increasingly popular. The traditional varieties used in the production of the white wines are Mauzac and Len de l'El. Mauzac produces a characteristic aroma of apples and pears and when used to produce a 100% varietal wine such as that produced by Robert Plageoles, it can result in a beautifully soft and deliciously refreshing wine. Len de l'El, which is only found in Gaillac, gets its name from a derivation of "loin de l'oeil", or "far from the eye". The grapes hang from unusually long stalks and are therefore further away from the eye of the picker than those of other varieties. It produces subtle wines with a floral or citrus aroma. The other white grape varieties used in Gaillac are Sauvignon, Muscadelle, Ondenc and Semillon.