Proceedings of International Terroir Congress 1996

In the Champagne vineyards, spring frosts are the cause of significant variations in the volume of the harvest which are very penalizing for the trade. This variability is reflected both in time (years without frost alternating with years with severe frosts) and in space. Certain sectors of the vineyard are in fact statistically more susceptible to frost than others, but each year no municipality can consider itself immune to this climatic accident. The objective of the study is precisely to analyze the spatial distribution of frost and to determine its main mechanisms, linked to the topography of the hillsides, their orientation but also to regional meteorological variables.

The grapes producing and wine making regions are différent in their use of agricultural, industrial or agroindustrial means. These means are quite often very original and/or specialised; and lately are also quite competitive. Such means are being defined with increased accuracy in the delimitation and definition of its characteristics (Paneque et al., 1996 a). Human action together with other Elements and Agents involved in the vine growing production (Reyner, 1989) over these means lead to agronomic systems with important characteristics. Finally, the transformation of the vine growing production, through different technologies (Fleet, 1992), results in the creation of products with a different acceptance and economical value in the market.

The Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée area of ​​Cahors (Lot) covers an area of ​​21,700 ha, spread over 45 municipalities, of which only 4,300 are planted with vines. The main grape variety of this AOC is the Cot noir which represents 70% of the grape varieties, thus giving their typicality to the wines of this region; but despite this importance, to our knowledge, its physiology has remained relatively unstudied.

The qualitative and quantitative distribution of the phenolic compounds in red wines depends on cultivars features, on grapes maturation state, on grapes processing technology including must obtention, as well as on maceration-fermentation method (Margheri, 1981). The last two factors are responsible for the different phenolic composition of the wines produced from the same cultivar.

The studies developed by INRA and UV, in Angers, concern wine-growing areas and their optimized management, both from an agro-viticultural and oenological point of view. Previous work (Morlat, 1989) made it possible to give a scientific dimension to the concept of viticultural terroir and demonstrated the considerable influence of this production factor on the quality and typicity of wines (Asselin et al, 1992 ) . A methodology for the integrated characterization of terroirs, based on the "Basic Terroir Natural Unit" (considered as the smallest spatial unit of territory usable in practice, and in which the response of the vine is homogeneous), has been development (Riou et al , 1995).

The winegrowers of the intercommunal cooperative cellar of Saint Hilaire d'Ozilhan have been practicing terroir selection for ten years. Five years ago, after having equipped themselves with an efficient commercial structure, and anxious to improve knowledge of their terroirs and to better control quantitatively and qualitatively the range of typicality that they can develop, they asked the Syndicate Général des Vignerons Réunis des Côtes du Rhône and the Institut Coopératif du Vin to help them set up an approach to better judge the behavior of the Grenache and Syrah grape varieties in the different terroirs, then to enhance this work through the improving product quality.

En France, la notion de Terroir a largement contribué à la réputation de nombreux vignobles. Elle a permis aussi d’accentuer la sensibilité des consommateurs, à la notion d’origine d’un produit. L’avenir de nombreux vignobles français semble lié à la capacité à innover en produisant des vins de qualité possédant en plus une typicité, aspect sensoriel susceptible de s’affirmer comme un facteur de vente auprès des futurs clients éduqués sur le plan du goût.

Le sujet proposé dans le thème “l’environnement juridique” est plus économique que juridique, et constitue une sorte de complément au sujet qui l’a précédé : analyse des marchés, stratégies commerciales et terroirs”.

Pinot noir is an interesting vat variety for the high quality products it provides in the most suitable areas. In France, the most important Pinot Noir growing areas are Burgundy, Champagne, Alsace and the Loire. In Italy, Pinot Noir is grown almost exclusively in the northern regions of Trentino-Alto Adige, Lombardy and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

Le cru de Bonnezeaux est une des appellations prestigieuses des vins liquoreux et moelleux des Coteaux du Layon et sa réputation est ancienne. L’INAO a effectué sa délimitation en 1953. Le vignoble est situé au nord de la ville de Thouarcé et au sud du village de Bonnezeaux, le long du versant rive droite du Layon, exposé au sud-ouest. La superficie du vignoble est de 156 ha.

In this last ten years period, there has been many integrated and interdisciplinary studies to determine the aptitude of different zones to viticulture (Lulli et al., 1989 ; Costantini, 1992 ; Fregoni et al., 1992). The researches needed some différent knowledges about environment characteristics (soil, climate), ecology, vineyard management, vine genetic, winemaking and sensory analysis. The interaction of all these knowledge produced the assessment about the environmental vocation (Scienza et al., 1992). By means of this metodology, the “viticultural vocation” joined the word “zoning”, that is the territory parting for its ecopedological and geographical characteristics in relation to adaptative answer of winegrape (Morlat, 1989).

A study of the influence of environmental factors on the ripening of grapes under the conditions of Alsace is carried out. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of the mesoclimate and pedoclimate. The experiment is conducted on a network of plots of gewurztraminer grafted on SO4. The production conditions are standardized throughout the device.

The analysis of the distribution of natural plant populations allows an ecological characterization of cultivated environments in thermal, water and trophic terms; it guides the choice or selection of plants (or grape varieties) to cultivate (Astruc et al ., 1984, 1987; Delpoux, 1971; Jacquinet and Astruc, 1979). This approach has given good results in areas where the topography is the determining factor in the ecological differentiation of the terroirs.

Depuis un an, nous essayons de mettre en place un projet de développement socio-économique et culturel d’une zone située essentiellement au sud de la Garonne et à cheval sur 3 départements (le Lot et Garonne, le Gers et le Tam et Garonne) et sur 2 régions (l’Aquitaine et Midi Pyrénées): le pays du Brulhois, “porte de la Gascogne”.

During the 1985 harvest, I was able to notice in the taste perception a break in the harmony of the wine during even partial blends of grapes from different plots. At the same time, I noted a good reaction from customers for greater product customization. As a result, I was led to seek the objective limits of the terroir of a cuvée and by a constant and permanent refinement of the parameters specific to each of the terroirs.