Grape
Négrette
Négrette is an old, indigenous black grape from Southwest France, closely associated with Fronton, north of Toulouse. For a long time, local tradition held that the grape was brought to France from Cyprus by the Knights Hospitaller during the Crusades. However, modern ampelographic and genetic research points in a different direction: Négrette appears to have originated locally, around the banks of the Tarn. This makes it a true grape of the French Sud-Ouest and an important part of the historical wine landscape around Toulouse.
Light body
Terroir
Négrette thrives particularly well on the ancient river terraces of the Tarn. In Fronton, it grows on so-called boulbènes, fine alluvial soils with sand, silt, and gravel, but also on gravelly and sandy plots. The relatively warm and dry climate is combined with cool nights, allowing the grapes to ripen sufficiently without losing their aromatic character.
The grape is vigorous but quite demanding in the vineyard. It is susceptible to diseases such as grey rot and powdery mildew, and can also suffer from coulure and millerandage, which can lead to fluctuating yields from year to year.
Négrette produces small bunches with small to medium-sized, dark blue-black berries. The skins are rich in anthocyanins, allowing the grape to produce wines with a strikingly deep purple to almost black colour.
Contrary to what that dark colour might suggest, the wines are generally not particularly tannic. They are rather supple, velvety, and distinctly aromatic. Typical aromas include blackberry, blackcurrant, and other dark fruits, combined with violets, peony, liquorice, and black pepper. More mature or longer-aged examples can also develop notes of candied fruit, leather, and spices.
FRONTON
Négrette and AOP Fronton are almost inextricably linked. The appellation is located just north of Toulouse and encompasses twenty communes in the departments of Haute-Garonne and Tarn-et-Garonne. Négrette is the primary grape there and must play a central role in the red and rosé wines.
It is used both as a monocépage and in blends with, among others, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Gamay, and Fer Servadou. In blends, Négrette primarily contributes colour, fruit, floral aromas, and a soft texture.
The typical aroma of violets in Négrette is no coincidence. The grape naturally contains β-ionone, an aromatic compound responsible for distinct floral aromas reminiscent of violets.
Winemakers can even influence its presence. By removing leaves around the grape clusters and exposing the grapes to more sunlight, the concentration of this aromatic compound in the grapes can increase. The violet is therefore almost an aromatic calling card for Négrette.
