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PGI — Label Rouge — Midi-Pyrénées
The pink pearl of the Tarn hillsides, Lautrec garlic is recognisable by its satiny skin, lingering sweetness and remarkable keeping qualities.
Vegetable from Midi-Pyrénées, PGI (IGP) since 1996.
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In the Tarn hillsides overlooking the Albigeois plain, Lautrec has watched over its garlic fields for centuries. Tradition has it that an itinerant merchant once paid for his meal with a plait of pink garlic, unwittingly sparking a market-gardening vocation that has never wavered. The earliest written record dates back to a 1291 charter of Bertrand de Lautrec, which mentions 'garlic tithes' in Graulhet, proof that its cultivation already held an important place in the area. Between 1800 and 1900, pink garlic — already presented in a 'manouille' — continued to be grown in small quantities, at a rate of 5 to 10 ares per farm, for family consumption or for sale at the markets of Mazamet, Castres, Albi and Réalmont.
The pink Lautrec variety stands in stark contrast to industrial white garlic: a naturally vibrant pink, satiny skin, tightly packed cloves protected by fine tunics, and dense, pearly-white flesh. This distinctive visual identity is the result of patient peasant selection, carried out over generations on the same clay-limestone soils, at the same altitude, under the same Midi sun.
The modern structuring of the sector began in 1959, when around thirty young farmers from Lautrec joined together to create the Syndicat de défense du Label ail rose de Lautrec. As early as 1966, they obtained the Label Rouge, an early accolade for an agricultural product. In 1976, the producers created a cooperative in Lautrec to structure commercialisation. European recognition followed in 1996 with PGI status. Each year, the fête de l'ail rose de Lautrec brings together producers and the public around this bulb, which has become an emblem of the Tarn terroir.
The head of pink Lautrec garlic has a bright, satiny pink skin, a hallmark that sets it apart at first glance. The cloves, numbering eight to twelve per bulb and arranged in two concentric rows, are tightly packed and wrapped in fine tunics with pink reflections. When sliced, the pearly-white flesh releases a powerful yet gentle aromatic scent, with typical sulphurous notes tempered by a floral sweetness.
On the palate, the flavour is intense and lingering, noticeably sweeter and milder than standard white varieties, with a subtle sugary hint and a warmth that builds gradually without burning. Raw, it is less acrid and more aromatic than its rivals. Cooked, it develops a remarkable creaminess and a candied sweetness prized in slow-cooked dishes.
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The cultivation of pink Lautrec garlic follows an ancestral calendar observed by all PGI producers. The selected cloves are planted in the depths of winter, between late November and late January, in the clay-limestone soils of the Tarn hillsides. Harvesting begins at maturity, in late June or early July, once the bulb-to-leaf weight ratio exceeds 1.8 and no more than four green leaves remain on the stalk — an operation that is still partially mechanised but requires a great deal of manual labour.
After harvesting, the bulbs dry for at least 15 days, in well-ventilated premises or by dynamic ventilation, until they have lost at least 25% of their initial weight. They are then peeled by hand and packaged in bunches ('manouilles'), small bundles, nets, trays or sacks. Stored at ambient temperature in a well-ventilated room or in cold storage, they keep until May of the year following the harvest, representing nearly eleven months of storage life.
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Pink Lautrec garlic finds its place in all cuisines of the Midi and far beyond. Confit whole en chemise alongside roast lamb or poultry, it reveals an incomparable creamy sweetness. Crushed into an aïoli or persillade, it flavours generously without overpowering. In soups and cassoulets, it imparts an aromatic depth that subtly melts into the dish.
Its most natural pairings are with the dry white wines of neighbouring Gaillac, whose crispness contrasts pleasantly with the richness of confit garlic. For raw preparations (vinaigrettes, tapenade), a light Côtes du Tarn or even a fruity red from Fronton is an ideal match. Hanging in bunches in a dry, ventilated spot preserves all its qualities through to May.
The PGI authorises five varieties: the traditional Rose de Lautrec variety, alongside four varieties bred in the 1990s through mass selection from local populations — Edenrose, Goulurose, Ibérose and Jardirose — chosen for their keeping qualities and morphological characteristics. The bunch (manouille) represents the traditional and festive presentation, whilst bundles, nets, trays and sacks allow for broader distribution in restaurants and supermarkets.
Since: 1996
Area covered: 87 communes of the Tarn
Key requirements: 5 authorised varieties, planting late November–late January, harvesting late June–early July, drying min. 15 days
Since: 1966
Area covered: 87 communes of the Tarn
Key requirements: Min. calibre 40 mm, uniform pink skin, traditional bunch packaging, sensory profile and hedonic test
Brotherhood
Family-run
Cooperative
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Top Alliance, a 100% commercial subsidiary of the Alinéa cooperative, is one of the trading operators based in Beaumont-de-Lomagne cited in the product specification for the PGI (IGP) ‘Ail blanc de Lomagne’ among the main French garlic merchants active in the commune. Established in 1997 as an extension of the Alinéa cooperative (founded in 1960), the organisation handles the marketing of produce from 160 member growers to major retailers, wholesalers, the foodservice sector, industry, and export.
Rooted in the South-West garlic, onion, and shallot production basin, Top Alliance provides the link between the work of the growers and market requirements, with a stated environmental commitment since 2004.
The company's website highlights the marketing of three garlics bearing official quality marks: ail blanc de Lomagne (PGI), ail rose de Lautrec — of which it claims to be the leading French marketer with 1,400 tonnes annually, including 500 tonnes under Label Rouge — and ail violet de Cadours (PDO (AOP)).
| Address | Borde Vieille, 82500 Beaumont-de-Lomagne, France |
| +33 5 63 26 28 00 | |
| contact@topalliance.com | |
| topalliance.com | |
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Part of the production is certified organic, since 2007. |
