Corbières AOC

Vineyards in Cucugnan.

Humoristic sign along a road in the Corbières AOC area

Corbières is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) for wine in the Languedoc-Roussillon, and it is this region's largest AOC, responsible for 46 per cent of the region's AOC wine production in 2005. Red wine dominates the production in Corbières with almost 95 per cent, with 3.5 per cent rosé wine and 2 per cent white wine making up the balance.^[1] Carignan is the most common grape variety.^[2] The AOC was created in 1985, covers 13,500 hectares (33,000 acres) of vineyards and produces an average of 554 000 hectoliter of wine per year, corresponding to 74 million bottles.^[1]

Due to its size and geography, Corbières encompasses an enormous variety of soil types and microclimates. The wines from the region tend to be just as varied as the terroir. The region also experiences widely varied winds. The dry, Atlantic vent Cers frequently brings cold weather from the northwest while the area is normally under the influence of the warm, Mediterranean vent Marin.

Geographical division

Map of the terroirs of Corbières.

The Corbières AOC consists of 11 terroirs:^[3]

1. Montagne d'Alaric
2. Saint Victor
3. Fontfroide
4. Queribus
5. Boutenac
6. Termenès
7. Lézignan
8. Lagrasse
9. Sigean
10. Durban
11. Serviès

Boutenac was elevated to its own AOC under the designation Corbières-Boutenac in 2005.^[4]

Map of Aude, with the Corbières AOC producing area in yellow.

List of the communes within the AOC area:^[5]

• Arrondissement of Carcassonne
  • Canton of Capendu; the following communes:
    • Barbaira, Capendu, Comigne, Douzens, Floure, Fontiès-d'Aude, Montirat, Monze, Moux,
  • Canton de Lagrasse; the following communes:
    • Arquettes-en-Val, Caunettes-en-Val, Labastide-en-Val, Lagrasse, Mayronnes, Montlaur, Pradelles-en-Val, Ribaute, Rieux-en-Val, Saint-Pierre-des-Champs, Serviès-en-Val, Talairan, Taurize, Tournissan, Villar-en-Val and Villetritouls.
  • Canton de Mouthoumet; the following communes:
    • Davejean, Dernacueillette, Félines-Termenès, Laroque-de-Fa, Palairac, Termes, Vignevieille and Villerouge-Termenès
• Arrondissement of Narbonne
  • Canton of Narbonne-Ouest; the following communes:
    • Bizanet, Canet-d'Aude, Montredon-des-Corbières, Narbonne and Névian.
  • Canton of Narbonne-Sud; the commune of : Bages
  • Canton of Coursan; la commune de Gruissan.
  • Canton of Sigean : (the whole canton)
    • Caves, Feuilla, Fitou, La Palme, Leucate, Peyriac-de-Mer, Port-la-Nouvelle, Portel-des-Corbières, Roquefort-des-Corbières, Sigean and Treilles.
  • Canton of Tuchan: (the whole canton)
    • Cucugnan, Duilhac-sous-Peyrepertuse, Maisons, Montgaillard, Padern, Paziols, Rouffiac-des-Corbières and Tuchan
  • Canton of Durban-Corbières: (the whole canton)
    • Albas, Cascastel-des-Corbières, Coustouge, Durban-Corbières, Embres-et-Castelmaure, Fontjoncouse, Fraissé-des-Corbières, Jonquières, Quintillan, Saint-Jean-de-Barrou, Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, Thézan-des-Corbières, Villeneuve-les-Corbières and Villesèque-des-Corbières
  • Canton of Lézignan-Corbières; the following communes:
    • Boutenac, Camplong-d'Aude, Conilhac-Corbières, Cruscades, Escales, Fabrezan, Ferrals-les-Corbières, Fontcouverte, Lézignan-Corbières, Luc-sur-Orbieu, Montbrun-des-Corbières, Montséret, Ornaisons, Saint-André-de-Roquelongue,

Appellation regulations

A large number of varieties are allowed in Corbières wine, but regulations restrict the proportions. The allowed grape varieties are indicated below.^[4] Main grape varieties for the respective colour are incated by "X" and accessory varieties by "(X)".

Variety	Red wine	Rosé wine	White wine
Bourboulenc		(X)	X
Carignan	X	X
Cinsaut	(X)	X
Clairette		(X)	(X)
Grenache	X	X
Grenache Blanc		(X)	X
Grenache Gris	(X)	(X)
Lledoner Pelut	X	X
Macabeu		(X)	X
Marsanne		(X)	X
Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains		(X)	(X)
Mourvèdre	X	X
Piquepoul Blanc		(X)	(X)
Piquepoul Noir	(X)	X
Roussanne		(X)	X
Syrah	X	X
Terret Blanc		(X)	(X)
Terret Noir	(X)	(X)
Vermentino		(X)	X

For red wines, a minimum of two grape varieties must be used. Grenache, Lledoner Pelut, Mourvèdre and Syrah (the main grape varieties with the exception of Carignan) must together make up at least 50 per cent of the blend. Carignan, Picquepoul Noir, and Terret Noir can together not make up more than 50 per cent of the blend. A maximum of 20 per cent Cinsaut and a maximum of 10 per cent Grenache Gris is allowed.^[4]

For rosé wines, a minimum of two grape varieties must be used. Grenache, Lledoner Pelut, Mourvèdre, Picquepoul Noir and Syrah must together make up at least 25 per cent of the blend. A maximum of 75 per cent Cinsaut is allowed. Carignan, Grenache Gris and Terret Noir can together not make up more than 50 per cent of the blend. A maximum of 10 per cent Grenache Gris is allowed. Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Macabeu, Marsanne, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, Piquepoul Blanc, Roussanne, Terret Blanc and Vermentino can together not make up more than 10 per cent of the blend.^[4]

For white wines, the accessory grapes can together not make up more than 10 per cent of the blend.^[4]

See also

• List of Vins de Primeur
• List of appellations in Languedoc-Roussillon

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Syndicat de l'AOC Corbières: Les chiffres cles, accessed on October 27, 2011
2. ^ Terroir-France: Corbières, accessed on December 16, 2009
3. ^ Syndicat de l'AOC Corbières: Les onze terroirs, accessed on December 16, 2009
4. ^ ^{a b c d e} AOC regulations for Corbières, consolidated version of 31 October 2009
5. ^ INAO decree

External links

• Syndicat de l'AOC Corbières (official producers' organisation)