France - South Appellations Flashcards
How much of production in the Languedoc is made up by IGP? Which laws apply to these wines? What has this meant commercially?
70%.
Regulations are more flexible than AOC.
Max yields are 90hL/ha for red and white, 100hL/ha for rosé.
A wide range of varieties may be used, a total of 58.
Production costs are low and output is high, making these wines attractive in the inexpensive price band, making this category, especially wines labelled with a variety, the core reason for the regions commercial success in the last 3 decades.
What are the three types of IGP that can overlap in France?
•Regional, eg IGP Pays d’Oc for all of Languedoc-Roussillon.
•Departmental, eg, IGP Gard, the Gard being a French administrative department.
•A small unit named after a historical or geographical feature, eg, IGP Côtes de Thongue.
What is unique about the IGP Pays d’Oc? What styles, qualities and prices of wine are produced?
By far the biggest IGP producer in France. This single IGP produces 10-15% of all French wine, depending on vintage.
Just over half of production is red, a quarter white and just under a quarter is rosé.
Wines are typically fresh, fruity expressions of the variety used with very little or no oak used for maturing the wine. Good to very good and inexpensive to mid.
What is the breakdown of wines produced in IGP Pays d’Oc by variety?
Merlot 21%
Cab Sauv 14%
Chardonnay 12%
Syrah 11%
Grenache Noir 8%
Sauvignon Blanc 7%
Cinsaut 6%
All other varieties 21%
(Pinot Noir, Viognier, Marselan, Cab Franc, Grenache Blanc, Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains, Colombard, Vermentino and Malbec)
Where are the Pays d’Oc wines sold?
Half is within France, mostly in supermarkets, but hospitality sales are also significant.
Top export markets are Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.
What is common across appellations in the south France?
All include detailed rules on varietal composition for reds, including principal varieties and others. Typically 90% of each appellation is red (other than white appellations).
A minimum of two varieties are required including one or more of the principal varieties.
Most give an upper limit for any one variety (eg 80%), meaning all AOC wines are genuinely blends.
There may also be minimum.or maximum amounts of certain varieties or combinations.
With the exception of Cabardès and Malepère AOCs, all requite Grenache Noir and most require Syrah and Mourvèdre. In many appellations, these are the principal varieties.
In Corbières and Fitou, Carignan is a principal variety and is an option in nearly all other AOC.
How can sub-zones differ to the parent appellation?
They can differ in terms of required varieties, eg, Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun AOC requires a higher total %ge of GSM than Saint-Chinian AOC does.
What can differ between the vineyard and the blend in Languedoc AOCs?
Different percentages can be set for varieties, eg, the AOC may require 50% of a variety in the vineyard but only 40% in the final wine, allowing greater flexibility.
Unused grapes can be used for other wines, eg rosè, IGP or VdF.
How do yields differ across the AOC hierarchy in the Languedoc?
Languedoc AOC: 50 for red, 60 for white. (Some slightly less concentrated wines)
Average AOC: 45-50
Some sub-zones: 40.
In many appellations the average is well below this (average 35hL/ha) due to low rainfall and fertility.
What are the key features, using principal and other varieties, of Languedoc AOC?
•Principal varieties are GSM.
•A minimum of two varieties must be used, including at least one principal.
•Total combination of principal varieties must make up a minimum of 40% of the blend.
•Other varieties (here, Cinsaut, Carignan and other local varieties) may not make up more than 30% of the blend. (This is much higher than specific AOCs, reflecting the nature of a regional AOC. More typically the max is 10%.
What are the three tiers of AOC in the Languedoc, and the general style, quality and price within?
•Regional appellation: medium intensity aroma and flavour with simple blackberry and red plum, medium tannins, acidity, alcohol and body. Acceptable to good and inexpensive to mid.
•Named appellation: medium to + intensity with blackberry and red plum fruit with herbal notes, medium tannins, medium to + acidity, medium to high alcohol and medium + to full body. A minority of wines have oak. Good to very good, with some outstanding, and range from inexpensive to premium.
•Sub appellations: medium + to pronounced intensity, medium + tannins. Very good with some outstanding and mostly mid priced, some premium.
Where does Corbières lie, and what natural factors affect climate?
A hilly appellation south-west of Narbonne, at over 10,000 ha its the fourth largest in France.
Two key mountain ranges (Tauch and D’Alaric) provide sited for vineyards on slopes up to 450m. The cooling influence of altitude and cold northern winds helps retain acidity.
How is Corbieres broken down into wine styles, varieties and yields?
90% red.
40% of final wine must be GSM Carignan, the remainder from other varieties including Cinsaut (max 20%).
50hL/ha for all styles.
How does Corbières-Boutneac differ to Corbières?
Requires Carignan, Grenache and Mourvèdre to make up 70%.
Where are the key markets for Corbières?
70% domestic, predominantly through supermarkets.
30% exported, with key markets China, Belgium and Germany.
What is white and rose production from Corbières like?
Minimal. White is made from Marsanne, Roussanne, Rolle, Bourboulenc and Grenache.
What are the key climatic influences for Minervois?
As it is an extensive appellation, it is affected by both altitude and the proximity to the Atlantic, which allows a range of suitable sites for grape growing for red, rose and white production.
What styles of wine are produced from Minervois, and the permitted varieties?
Red is the great majority, but also white and rosé.
Most red and rosé are GSM blends; together these three plus Cinsaut and Carignan must be at least 50% of the final blend, with no one variety exceeding 80%.
How does Minervois la Livinière AOC differ from Minervois AOC?
Red wine only.
Situated on a limestone terrace of gentle slopes up to 400m altitude, offering good drainage, exposure to the sun and some cooling influences from altitude, resulting in potentially higher acidity.
GSM must make up 40% of the blend, and these with Cinsaut and Carignan must make up 80%.
Where is Saint-Chinian located, and what styles of wine (from which varieties) does it produce?
A large appellation between Minervois and Faugères, producing mainly red and rosé from GSM blends (minimum 50%).
What are the two areas within Saint-Chinian AOC, and how do they differ?
• The northern zone with arid, fast draining schist soils, resulting in low yields and wines of higher concentration. Within this sector are two sub zones, Saint-Chinian Roquebrun AOC and Saint-Chinian Berlou AOC.
• The southern area where the soils are clay and limestone with greater water-holding capacity, resulting in higher yields of less concentrated wines.
Where does Fitou lie, and what is significant about it?
Made up of two areas with a part of Corbières AOC between them, adjacent to Roussillon.
It was the first AOC in the Languedoc, formed in 1948.
What is the difference between Fitou’s two areas?
•The coastal area is relatively flat, with low-lying plains and clay and limestone soils that have good water retention. Wines made from this area tend to be less concentrated that from inland.
•The inland area is more mountainous and has less fertile soils that are fast draining and schistous, resulting in potentially wines of higher flavour concentration.
