In the Middle Ages when cork was unknown, the wines were transported in barrels and could scarcely resist the tests of time. They all ended their journey oxidised and sour, to the extent that water had to be added to make them drinkable. All with the noticeable exception of Cahors wines: they were endowed with a fabulous quality. They did not age and retained intact the freshness of their aromas despite chaotic sea travels. Shrewd traders from the Gironde rapidly understood what this elixir could earn them. Rather than sell Cahors wine for its own sake, they used it to improve their own wine!

Cahors wine was as strong as a liqueur but mild as velvet. At this time, when the Gironde was still only marshes, its vines were producing clear juice, too light to resist the rigors of a long journey. Cahors wine arrived at the right moment to strengthen their weak aspect and enable them to travel without too much damage. The English, with their discerning palates, were quick to discover the value of this wine. That's how the Black Wine entered into the court of this world's great wines. In the 18th century, the advent of the bottle, cork and sulphur, as well as the improvement in viticulture in the Bordeaux area, put an end to the Black Wine saga so dear to the English. It made way for clear wines, light and cool to the palate, which new techniques allowed to be preserved. Cahors wine still kept its fine reputation, but not its status as a Bordeaux medicinal wine.