Maintaining the typicity of wines in a context of climate change: the impact of delimitation – example of the Côte Roannaise PDO

Abstract

Côte Roannaise AOP is an appellation recognized for its red wines. It is located in a foothill area, in the Loire department (France).

Producers of this appellation have observed that climate change has resulted in higher alcohol content of their wines and a lower acidity, with the appearance of overripe notes, away from the fresh and lively type of the appellation.

Wines of the Côte Roannaise AOP are produced exclusively from ‘Saint-Romain’ Gamay, which is a local type of Gamay. Producers are deeply attached to it. Thus, their adaptation strategy has naturally led them to modify the vineyard planting criteria. Therefore, they have undertaken a revision of their delimited vineyard area, with the aim of maintaining the typicity of their wines in the long term.

This is the first request received by the French institute INAO to modify terroir zoning of an AOP wine in order to adapt to climate change.

A commission of experts has been appointed by the institute to redefine the operational delimitation criteria allowing the selection of the most favorable zones (slope, orientation, altitude) to grow vines and produce the AOP’s typical wines in the coming years.

Based on the geo-pedological and agro-climatic study of the geographical area, and using field measurements, the experts’ objective is to supply a detailed modelling of the foreseeable vine growing conditions in this foothill area.