Terroir 2012 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 International Terroir Conferences 9 Terroir 2012 9 Ancient and recent construction of Terroirs 9 AOC valorization of terroir nuances at plot scale in Burgundy

AOC valorization of terroir nuances at plot scale in Burgundy

Abstract

In the highly competitive global wine market, Burgundy has a long-established reputation to maintain. The vine and wine sector in Burgundy is based on a five-level ranking of AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) wines and of the plots where the grapes are grown. In Burgundy, climat refers to a lieu-dit with well-defined limits, expressed through a specific wine. For the connoisseur, the unique character of each wine reveals the astonishing diversity of climats.
This situation is not static: an ODG (Organisme de Défense et Gestion) for an AOC may ask for plots producing wines with a better reputation than their AOC classification to be upgraded. This procedure will give official status to the renown of these wines and added value to their terroirs. Such applications must meet the requirements set by the INAO (Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité) at regional and national scales.
Upgrading will depend on specific criteria: historical precedence, economic factors, and physical-geographical aspects. The classification of a climat depends on the notoriety of the wine it produces (historical recognition, commercial impact, and price) and then on its terroir. Environmental analysis of the plots in the climat is performed using a Digital Terrain Model to characterise physiographic parameters (altitude, slope, and exposure) and geological mapping to depict the mosaic of soil and subsoil. Price trends when plots are sold provide useful insights into terroir quality. New entities can be accurately delineated since these tools are perfectly adapted to the fine scale of Burgundy climats. A detailed reading of the landscape and the promotional discourse of wine are thus facilitated.
Several applications have already been successful; others are still in the initial stages, while some exist in draft form, or have already been submitted. These classification changes contribute to the valorisation at plot scale of the myriad of terroir nuances in the Burgundy vineyards.

Publication date: September 25, 2023

Issue: Terroir 2012

Type: Article

Authors

Marie-Claude PICHERY1*, Françoise VANNIER-PETIT2, Éric VINCENT3
1 Economist – Laboratoire d’Economie et Gestion (UMR CNRS 5118) – PEG BP 26611 – 21066 DIJON Cedex 2 Geologist La Rente Neuve F-21160 FLAVIGNEROT, France 3 Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité, 16 rue du golf 21800 QUETIGNY, Fr.

Contact the author

Keywords

terroir, field delimitation, valorization, geological mapping, Burgundy

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir | Terroir 2012

Citation

Related articles…

Vitamins in musts : an unexplored field

Vitamins are major compounds, involved in several prime yeast metabolic pathways. Yet, their significance in oenology has remained mostly unexplored for several decades and our current knowledge on the matter still remaining obscure to this day. While the vitaminic contents of grape musts have been approached in these ancient investigation

Iso-/anisohydric behavior in wine grapes may be a matter of soil moisture

There are claims that wine grape cultivars are either isohydric or anisohydric; the former maintaining, and the latter decreasing, their plant water status as soil moisture declines. However, available information is inconsistent. There are those that show an existence of a continuum in cultivar response to soil moisture rather than a distinct categorization. Others even show both behaviors in the same cultivar grown in different environments. In this study we investigated the behavior of 30 own rooted Vitis vinifera cultivars during successive drydown and rewatering cycles over two growing seasons in arid eastern Washington (<200 mm annual precipitation).

One-year aging of a Sangiovese red wine in tanks of different materials: effect on chemical and sensory characteristics

The aim of this study was to evaluate how the different tank materials could affect the chemical and sensory characteristics of a Sangiovese red wine during one-year aging.

Dynamic agrivoltaics, climate protection for grapevine driven by artificial intelligence

The year-on-year rise in temperatures and the increase in extreme weather events due to climate change are already having an impact on agriculture. Among the perennial fruit species, grapevine is already negatively impacted by these events through an acceleration of its phenology, more damage from late frosts or through an increase in the sugar level of the berries (and therefore the alcoholic degree of the wine) and a decrease of acidity, impacting the wine quality. Sun’Agri, in partnership with INRAE, Chambre d’agriculture du Vaucluse, Chambre d’agriculture des Pyrénées-Orientales and IFV, developed a protection system based on dynamic agrivoltaics to protect grapevine. It consists of photovoltaic solar panels positioned above the crop, high enough not to impede the passage of agricultural machinery, and tiltable from +/- 90° to adjust the level of shading on the vineyard. These smart louvers, driven by artificial intelligence (physical models & plant growth models), are steered according to the plant’s needs and provide real climate protection.

Multicriteria assessment of 11 agroecological viticulture systems during six years

Context and purpose of the study. Modern conventional agriculture, including viticulture, relies greatly on the use of chemical inputs, especially synthetic pesticides.