Bugey wine
Encyclopedia
Bugey wine is produced in the Bugey
region in the Ain
département of France
, under the two VDQS
designations Bugey and Roussette du Bugey. On May 28, 2009, INAO
gave its final approval for the elevation of Bugey and Roussette du Bugey to Appellation d'origine contrôlée
(AOC) status.
A high proportion of Bugey wine is white, but white, rosé, red and sparkling wines are all produced in Bugey. Bugey wine made from the aromatic white variety Altesse
, locally called Roussette, are among the more noted from the area.
Vineyards of the two Bugey appellations cover around 500 hectares (1,235.5 acre) spread over 67 communes in the department of Ain.
, and may furthermore contain Aligoté
, Altesse, Jacquère
, Pinot Gris
and Mondeuse Blanche
as accessory grapes. Bugey-Manicle must be 100% Chardonnay.
Roussette de Bugey, which only exists as a white wine, must contain at least 50% Altesse, which is locally known under the name Roussette. Chardonnay is allowed as an accessory grape until the 2008 vintage, but from the 2009 vintage all Roussette de Bugey must be 100% Altesse. Roussette de Bugey with a mention of geographical origin is already required to be made from only Altesse grapes.
and Pinot Noir
, alone or together must be used. Mondeuse Noire
, Pinot Gris and Poulsard
are allowed as accessory grapes.
. The following grapes are allowed as accessory grapes: Aligoté, Altesse, Mondeuse Blanche, Pinot Gris, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Mondeuse Noir and Poulsard. White sparkling Bugey-Montagnieu must contain a minimum of 70% of Altesse, Chardonnay and Mondeuse Noir, with Jacquère, Pinot Noir, Gamay and Molette allowed as accessory grapes.
Rosé sparkling Bugey follows the same rules as still Bugey rosé, with the exception of rosé sparkling Bugey-Cerdon, which must be made either from 100% Gamay or a blend of Gamay and Poulsard.
Bugey has wished to achieve full Appellation d'origine contrôlée
(AOC) status for some time. As of April 2008, INAO
published draft AOC regulations for Bugey and Roussette du Bugey as part of the scrutiny process. By May 28, 2009, the scrutiny process was finished and INAO gave its approval, with official publication of AOC rules to follow..
are within a few kilometers of another, it is not surprising that Bugey sometimes is thought to be a part of the Savoy wine region. However, it was historically a part of Burgundy and is located in another department (Ain) than Savoy.
Bugey
The Bugey is a historical region in the département of Ain , France. It is located in a loop of the Rhône River in the southeast of the département...
region in the Ain
Ain
Ain is a department named after the Ain River on the eastern edge of France. Being part of the region Rhône-Alpes and bordered by the rivers Saône and Rhône, the department of Ain enjoys a privileged geographic situation...
département of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, under the two VDQS
VDQS
Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure , usually abbreviated as VDQS, is the second highest category of French wine, below Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée in rank, but above Vin de pays . VDQS is sometimes written as AOVDQS, with AO standing for Appellation d'Origine...
designations Bugey and Roussette du Bugey. On May 28, 2009, INAO
Institut National des Appellations d'Origine
The Institut National des Appellations d'Origine is the French organization charged with regulating French agricultural products with Protected Designations of Origin . Controlled by the French government, it forms part of the Ministry of Agriculture...
gave its final approval for the elevation of Bugey and Roussette du Bugey to Appellation d'origine contrôlée
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
(AOC) status.
A high proportion of Bugey wine is white, but white, rosé, red and sparkling wines are all produced in Bugey. Bugey wine made from the aromatic white variety Altesse
Altesse
Altesse or Roussette is a white French wine grape variety found primarily in the Savoy wine region of France. It yields small harvests and ripens late but is resistant to grey rot. Wines made from Altesse have exotic aromas, often together with citrus and herbs, and have good acidity...
, locally called Roussette, are among the more noted from the area.
Vineyards of the two Bugey appellations cover around 500 hectares (1,235.5 acre) spread over 67 communes in the department of Ain.
Allowed designations
Under the present VDQS regulations, Bugey may carry the following designations:- Bugey - white, rosé or red
- Bugey, plus a mention of geographical origin:
- Manicle, a lieu dit in Cheignieu-la-BalmeCheignieu-la-BalmeCheignieu-la-Balme is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-References:*...
- white or red - MontagnieuMontagnieu, AinMontagnieu is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France....
- red
- Manicle, a lieu dit in Cheignieu-la-Balme
- Bugey mousseux or pétillant (sparkling with different amount of bubbles) - white or rosé
- Bugey mousseux or pétillant, plus a mention of geographical origin:
- CerdonCerdon, AinCerdon is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.It is known for its pink sparkling wine, and for its copper factory, the only one of its kind in France.-Population:- Curiosities :* The pink sparkling wine* The Copper factory...
- rosé - MontagnieuMontagnieu, AinMontagnieu is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France....
- white
- Cerdon
- Roussette du Bugey - white
- Roussette du Bugey, plus a mention of geographical origin:
- MontagnieuMontagnieu, AinMontagnieu is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France....
- white - Virieu le Grand - white
- Montagnieu
White wines
White Bugey, with the exception of white Bugey-Manicle, must contain at least 50% ChardonnayChardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, and may furthermore contain Aligoté
Aligoté
Aligoté is a white grape used to make dry white wines in the Burgundy region of France, and which also has significant plantings in much of Eastern Europe including Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Bulgaria. With , it was the 22nd most planted vine variety in the world in 2004...
, Altesse, Jacquère
Jacquère
Jacquère is a variety of white grape found primarily in the Savoy wine region of France. It is a high-yielding vine variety which is used to produce lightly scented, rather neutral dry white wine, such as Vin de Savoie. Jacquère is the grape used in Apremont wines and is the usual wine paired with...
, Pinot Gris
Pinot Gris
Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...
and Mondeuse Blanche
Mondeuse Blanche
Mondeuse Blanche is a variety of white grape almost exclusively found in and around the Savoy wine region in France. With just of plantations in 1999, it leads a dwindling existence and is used primarily in the VDQS wine Bugey and the AOC Vin de Savoie.- Related grapes :DNA typing has established...
as accessory grapes. Bugey-Manicle must be 100% Chardonnay.
Roussette de Bugey, which only exists as a white wine, must contain at least 50% Altesse, which is locally known under the name Roussette. Chardonnay is allowed as an accessory grape until the 2008 vintage, but from the 2009 vintage all Roussette de Bugey must be 100% Altesse. Roussette de Bugey with a mention of geographical origin is already required to be made from only Altesse grapes.
Rosé wines
For rosé Bugey, a minimum of 50% of GamayGamay
Gamay is a purple-colored grape variety used to make red wines, most notably grown in Beaujolais and in the Loire Valley around Tours. Its full name is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. It is a very old cultivar, mentioned as long ago as the 15th century...
and Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
, alone or together must be used. Mondeuse Noire
Mondeuse Noire
Mondeuse Noire is a red wine grape that is grown primarily in the Savoy region of France. The grape can also be found in Argentina, Australia, and California. The grape was hit hard during the phylloxera epidemic of the 19th century which nearly wiped out the vine from eastern France...
, Pinot Gris and Poulsard
Poulsard
Poulsard is a red French wine grape variety from the Jura wine region. The name Ploussard is used mainly around the town of Pupillin but can appear on wine labels throughout Jura as an authorized synonyms...
are allowed as accessory grapes.
Red wines
Red Bugey can contain Gamay, Pinot Noir or Mondeuse Noire, with the exception of red Bugey-Manicle that can only contain Pinot Noir, and red Bugey-Montagnieu that can only contain Mondeuse Noire.Sparkling wines
White sparkling Bugey, with the exception of Bugey-Montagnieu, must contain a minimum of 70% of Chardonnay, Jacquère and MoletteMolette
Molette is a white French wine grape planted primarily in the Savoie region. As a varietal wine, Molette tends to produce neutral tasting wine so it is often blended with Roussette to add more complexity....
. The following grapes are allowed as accessory grapes: Aligoté, Altesse, Mondeuse Blanche, Pinot Gris, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Mondeuse Noir and Poulsard. White sparkling Bugey-Montagnieu must contain a minimum of 70% of Altesse, Chardonnay and Mondeuse Noir, with Jacquère, Pinot Noir, Gamay and Molette allowed as accessory grapes.
Rosé sparkling Bugey follows the same rules as still Bugey rosé, with the exception of rosé sparkling Bugey-Cerdon, which must be made either from 100% Gamay or a blend of Gamay and Poulsard.
Classification and previous naming
The wines of Bugey have been classified as VDQS wines since 1958, initially under the name Vin du Bugey. Before the 2004 change to the present VDQS names, all of the following names in combination with additional designations were possible for Bugey wines:- Mousseux du Bugey
- Pétillant du Bugey
- Roussette du Bugey
- Roussette du Bugey, plus the mention of one of the following crus: Anglefort, Arbignieu, Chanay, Lagnieu, Montagnieu, Virieu-le-Grand.
- Vin du Bugey, or Bugey
- Vin du Bugey, or Bugey, plus the mention of one of the following crus: Virieu-le-Grand, Montagnieu, Manicle, Machuraz, Cerdon
- Vin du Bugey-Cerdon pétillant
- Vin du Bugey-Cerdon mousseux
- Vin du Bugey mousseux
- Vin du Bugey pétillant
Bugey has wished to achieve full Appellation d'origine contrôlée
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
(AOC) status for some time. As of April 2008, INAO
Institut National des Appellations d'Origine
The Institut National des Appellations d'Origine is the French organization charged with regulating French agricultural products with Protected Designations of Origin . Controlled by the French government, it forms part of the Ministry of Agriculture...
published draft AOC regulations for Bugey and Roussette du Bugey as part of the scrutiny process. By May 28, 2009, the scrutiny process was finished and INAO gave its approval, with official publication of AOC rules to follow..
Regional affiliation
Bugey is located outside any of the major French wine regions, and is therefore usually counted as a small wine-making area of its own. Since the closest vineyards of Bugey and SavoySavoy wine
Savoy or, in French, Savoie is a wine region situated in the Savoy region in eastern France, and is sometimes referred to as the country of the Allobroges.The Savoy landscape is distinctly alpine...
are within a few kilometers of another, it is not surprising that Bugey sometimes is thought to be a part of the Savoy wine region. However, it was historically a part of Burgundy and is located in another department (Ain) than Savoy.