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IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 “Garrigues”, part of the mediterranean vine terroirs

“Garrigues”, part of the mediterranean vine terroirs

Abstract

[English version below]

Les paysages viticoles méditerranéens présentent une originalité qui ne se retrouve nulle part ailleurs : ils associent des garrigues très odoriférantes à des parcelles de vignes souvent qualitatives. La connaissance empirique des vins du Languedoc par leurs dégustateurs a conduit la Chambre d’Agriculture de l’Hérault à supposer que les arômes de la garrigue environnante peuvent se retrouver dans les vins (arômes de ciste, de genévrier, … ) Grâce à la collaboration d’une cave coopérative héraultaise, des essais ont été mis en place pour vérifier cette hypothèse. Ils comportent une première partie expérimentale, débutée en 2000, basée sur la comparaison d’échantillons de vins de Grenache, provenant de mini­ récoltes (50 kg) de parcelles très contrastées de par leur environnement de garrigue. La seconde partie des essais a débuté en 2001 et consiste en une sélection parcellaire au terroir de parcelles de grenache qualitatives entourées de garrigues et entourées de vignes (5 ha par lot environ.) Chaque lot est vinifié séparément par la cave coopérative. Les premiers résultats de dégustation sont très encourageants. Ils montrent que les spécificités de l’environnement naturel des vignes méditerranéennes pourront probablement être valorisées à terme par l’élaboration de vins originaux et difficilement imitables sur le marché.

The mediterranean viticultural landscapes are made of original patterns of qualitative vineyards alterning with odorous garrigues. Some connoisseurs of the Languedoc wines noted typical aromas of garrigue plants in the wines made from the most isolated vineyards. The Hérault Chamber of Agriculture decided to study whether these assumptions can be validated or not, in order to valorize the regional typicity of these wines. Two experiments were made on the vineyard of a partner wine coop. The first one, started in 2000, compares two samples of grenache wines made from vinifications of about 50 kg of grapes, each plot being located in contrasted places (one bordered by garrigues and one by vines). The second one started in 2001 and consists in the wine- making from a selection of about 10 ha of qualitative vines of grenache, 5 ha among garrigues and 5 ha among other vines. The first winetastings are very promising. They show that one must consider the wild environment as a whole part of the vine terroir definition, on the understanding that the potentiality of a terroir can only be expressed by vines technically perfect.

DOI:

Publication date: February 15, 2022

Issue: Terroir 2002

Type: Article

Authors

William TRAMBOUZE (1), Jean-Pierre ARGILLIER (2), Nathalie GOMA-FORTIN (1)

(1) Chambre d’agriculture de l’Hérault, BP 83, allée du Géreral Montagne, 34120 Pézenas
(2) Chambre d’agriculture de l’Hérault, Maison des agriculteurs, Mas de Saporta, 34970 Lattes

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Keywords

terroir viticole, garrigue, sélection parcellaire, typicité du vin
vine terroir, garrigue, vineyard selection, wine typicity

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2002

Citation

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