The Burc family owned land outside the town of Puy-l'Eveque in 1456. They still do, and for five generations they’ve made wine at Chateau Pineraie. It has been an eventful and difficult time for Cahors over the last 140 odd years, but Pineraie has endured as one of the most reliable outfits in the region. Their domaine lives both on the lowland clay terraces of the Lot river, and on the highland limestone terraces to the south, giving Pineraie the best of both terroirs to express powerful and neatly balanced Malbec every year. Sisters Anne and Emanuelle Burc have taken over winemaking and operation of the winery from their father Jean-Luc, and with the change, there has been a subtle shift in the wines towards finesse. This is still a stern wine, with a woodsy tannic backbone and deep black fruit, but the aromas are more powerful and distinct than before: Blackcurrant jelly, iron-rich clay, roses and figs somehow feel fresh and lively. The palate is full and filled with blackberries and currants, framed with silky tannins that don’t go away, and finishes with a note of blackberry gelee and sandalwood. For best results, serve with steak or duck.