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IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Méthodologie pour application et valorisation des études de terroir dans les caves cooperatives des Côtes du Rhône (France)

Méthodologie pour application et valorisation des études de terroir dans les caves cooperatives des Côtes du Rhône (France)

Abstract

[English version below]

L’appellation d’origine contrôlée “Côtes du Rhône” se caractérise par une très forte implantation du mouvement coopératif. Afin de mieux exploiter le potentiel qualitatif de leurs terroirs, plusieurs coopératives élaborent des “cuvées terroir”, résultat des sélections de vendanges provenant de différents secteurs.
Le travail répond à la demande des professionnels pour approfondir la connaissance de la diversité de leurs terroirs, pour évaluer leur incidence sur la matière première et pour établir une démarche permettant de mieux gérer les sélections parcellaires.
La méthodologie proposée se déroule en trois étapes :
I. Caractérisation de la diversité des terroirs au sein d’une cave coopérative : cartographie des sols.
II. Evaluation du fonctionnement, essentiellement hydrique, des principaux sols et de leur incidence sur le comportement de la vigne et sur la composition du raisin. L’objectif est de dégager des indicateurs simples pour caractériser cette incidence.
III. Application pour les sélections “terroir” : ces outils sont testés ensuite pour la mise en place d’une sélection parcellaire au niveau de la cave.
Cette démarche a été appliquée sur différentes caves. A titre d’exemple, nous illustrerons cet article avec les résultats obtenus pour la cave de Rochefort du Gard.
La méthode présentée débute avec une étude de zonage. Elle se complète ensuite par une évaluation du potentiel de différentes unités de sol et, enfin, donne lieu à une application pratique pour améliorer la gestion des sélections de vendange dans un contexte professionnel bien précis, celui des caves coopératives.

Most of the “Côtes du Rhône” controlled appellation wine is produced by cooperative wineries. In order to make the best use of the qualitative potential of their “terroirs”, several cooperative wineries produce specific “cuvees terroir” with harvest selections from different districts.
This work is an answer to professionals’ needs to enhance the knowledge of their “terroirs” diversity, to evaluate their effects on grape berry composition and to work out a methodology to improve the management of harvest selections.
The proposed methodology is developed in 3 stages :
I. Characterisation of “terroirs” diversity of a cooperative winery area : maps of the soils.
II. Evaluation of the way the most important soils function, essentially for water and of the influence on vine behaviour and on grape berries composition. The aim is to look for simple tests explaining this influence.
III. Application to “terroir” harvest selections : the tests are then tried out to set up a harvest selection in the winery.
The methodology is applied to different cooperative wineries. In this paper we will show, as an example, the results from the Rochefort du Gard winery.
The proposed method starts off with a zoning study. It is then completed by an evaluation of potential quality of different kinds of soils and finally, it leads to practical application in order to enhance management of harvest selections in a quite precise professional context, which is that of cooperative wineries.

DOI:

Publication date: January 12, 2022

Issue: Terroir 2004

Type: Article

Authors

B. Rodriguez Lovelle (1); F. Fabre (2)

Syndicat Général des Vignerons des Côtes du Rhône
1) Institut Rhodanien, 2260 Rte. du Grès, 84100 Orange (France)
2) Maison des Vins, 6 rue des Trois Faucons, 84000 Avignon (France)

Contact the author

Keywords

Terroir, cartographie, méthodologie pratique, cave coopérative, propriétés du sol, disponibilité hydrique, qualité du raisin, sélection des vendanges
terroir, mapping, practical methodology, cooperative winery, soil properties, water availability, grape quality, harvest selection

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2004

Citation

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