Costières de Nîmes AOC
Encyclopedia
Costières de Nîmes is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
(AOC) for wines that are produced in an area between the ancient city of Nîmes
and the western Rhône
delta, in the French department of the Gard
. Formerly part of the Languedoc
region of France, as the wines more resemble those of the Rhône valley in character than of the Languedoc
, it is now part of the Rhone wine area and administered by the Rhône Wine committee which has its headquarters in Avignon
.
's campaigns in Egypt, and bottles of Costières de Nîmes bear the symbol of the Roman settlement at Nîmes, a crocodile chained to a palm tree. According to a chart in the kitchen of the Palais des Papes
in Avignon, many of the towns in what is now the Costieres de Nîmes region were the main suppliers of wine to the Popes of that era.
, the wine achieved AOC status in 1986 and was renamed Costières de Nîmes 1989. In 1998 the growers' organization (the syndicate) requested that the appellation should be attached to the Rhône wine region as their wines are more reflective of the typical characteristics of Rhône wines than of the Languedoc region to which the area geographically belongs. INAO
, the French authority which regulates the country's appellations, assigns each appellation to a regional committee which is in charge of approving wines from that appellation. This list is a legal text published by the French ministry of agriculture. The move of Costières de Nîmes to the regional committee of the Rhône valley was effected in the July 19, 2004 version of this list. Up until the version of July 8, 1998, which the 2004 version superseded, Costières de Nîmes was assigned to the regional committee of Languedoc-Roussillon
. Interestingly enough, the immediately adjacent AOC of Clairette de Bellegarde remains listed as a Languedoc AOC.
that mark the border of the Languedoc with the Provence
, and the low sandy plain of the Camargue
the Rhône delta, the soil is mostly a mixture of round pebbles ("galets") similar to Châteauneuf-du-Pape
, and sandy alluvial deposit and red shale. The soil depth from 3 to 15 metres is largely responsible for the variations of style within this AOC.
The climate is Mediterranean, similar to that of the Rhône valley, but is characterised by its proximity to the coast and the sea breezes.
The wines are produced in selected parcels of the following 24 communes
: Aubord
, Beaucaire, Beauvoisin
, Bellegarde
, Bernis
, Bezouce
, Bouillargues
, Le Cailar
, Caissargues
, Garons
, Générac
, Jonquières-Saint-Vincent
, Lédenon
, Manduel
, Meynes
, Milhaud
, Nîmes
, Redessan
, Rodilhan
, Saint-Gilles
, Sernhac
, Uchaud
, Vauvert
, and Vestric-et-Candiac
.
together 20%, Grenache
minimum of 25%, Carignan maximum 40%, Cinsault, maximum 40%. They are closer in style to Rhône wine than Languedoc wine
and generally they are elegant, well balanced, lightly structured, with aromas of red fruit, blackberry, prune and black cherry. Some of the wines are rounder, more generous, with a higher level of tannins.
The reds account for approximately 59% of the total production.
, Clairette Blanc
, Grenache Blanc
, Maccabéo, Rolle
, Roussanne
and Ugni Blanc, maximum 30% varieties. The whites must be blended from a minimum of two varieties. Ugni Blanc will be discontinued from the AOC with effect from and including the harvest of 2010.
The whites are well balanced with aromas of flower and fruit, citrus, and occasionally apple and pear.
They can be consumed alone or as an accompaniment to seafood and grilled fish.
is made as a by-product from the production of red wines, with the same permitted percentages of grape varieties, with a possible maximum of 10% of white grapes from the allowed varieties for the white wines. These are light and dry, traditionally well balanced and delicate. A wine for leisure as well as for the strict of meals of white meats and poultry, they are often drunk chilled, are refreshing, and can be consumed at any time of the day. Locally, it is often taken with light meals of salads, pasta, and pizza. Rosé accounts for approximately 37% of the total production.
The minimum decreed alcohol content for all three colours is 11%.
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) for wines that are produced in an area between the ancient city of Nîmes
Nîmes
Nîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
and the western Rhône
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
delta, in the French department of the Gard
Gard
Gard is a département located in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.The department is named after the River Gard, although the formerly Occitan name of the River Gard, Gardon, has been replacing the traditional French name in recent decades, even among French speakers.- History...
. Formerly part of the Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
region of France, as the wines more resemble those of the Rhône valley in character than of the Languedoc
Languedoc wine
Languedoc - Roussillon wine, including the vin de pays labeled Vin de Pays d'Oc, is produced in southern France. While "Languedoc" can refer to a specific historic region of France and Northern Catalonia, usage since the 20th century has primarily referred to the northern part of the...
, it is now part of the Rhone wine area and administered by the Rhône Wine committee which has its headquarters in Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
.
History
Wines from the region have been produced for over two millennia and were consumed by the Greeks in pre-Roman times, making it one of the oldest vinyards in Europe. The area was settled by veterans of Julius CaesarJulius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
's campaigns in Egypt, and bottles of Costières de Nîmes bear the symbol of the Roman settlement at Nîmes, a crocodile chained to a palm tree. According to a chart in the kitchen of the Palais des Papes
Palais des Papes
The Palais des Papes is a historical palace in Avignon, southern France, one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe....
in Avignon, many of the towns in what is now the Costieres de Nîmes region were the main suppliers of wine to the Popes of that era.
Change of name and regional affiliation
Formerly known as Costières du Gard, a VDQSVDQS
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...
, the wine achieved AOC status in 1986 and was renamed Costières de Nîmes 1989. In 1998 the growers' organization (the syndicate) requested that the appellation should be attached to the Rhône wine region as their wines are more reflective of the typical characteristics of Rhône wines than of the Languedoc region to which the area geographically belongs. 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...
, the French authority which regulates the country's appellations, assigns each appellation to a regional committee which is in charge of approving wines from that appellation. This list is a legal text published by the French ministry of agriculture. The move of Costières de Nîmes to the regional committee of the Rhône valley was effected in the July 19, 2004 version of this list. Up until the version of July 8, 1998, which the 2004 version superseded, Costières de Nîmes was assigned to the regional committee of Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the 27 regions of France. It comprises five departments, and borders the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées on the one side, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean sea on the other side.-Geography:The region is...
. Interestingly enough, the immediately adjacent AOC of Clairette de Bellegarde remains listed as a Languedoc AOC.
Geography
Between the low rocky hills and garrigueGarrigue
Garrigue or phrygana is a type of low, soft-leaved scrubland ecoregion and plant community in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome. It is found on limestone soils around the Mediterranean Basin, generally near the seacoast, where the climate is ameliorated, but where annual summer...
that mark the border of the Languedoc with the Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, and the low sandy plain of the Camargue
Camargue
The Camargue is the region located south of Arles, France, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhône River delta. The eastern arm is called the Grand Rhône; the western one is the Petit Rhône....
the Rhône delta, the soil is mostly a mixture of round pebbles ("galets") similar to Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a French wine Appellation d'origine contrôlée located around the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Rhône wine region in southeastern France. It is the most renowned appellation of the southern part of the Rhône Valley...
, and sandy alluvial deposit and red shale. The soil depth from 3 to 15 metres is largely responsible for the variations of style within this AOC.
The climate is Mediterranean, similar to that of the Rhône valley, but is characterised by its proximity to the coast and the sea breezes.
The wines are produced in selected parcels of the following 24 communes
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
: Aubord
Aubord
Aubord is a commune in the Gard department in southern France. Aubord is situated southwest of Nîmes.-Population:...
, Beaucaire, Beauvoisin
Beauvoisin, Gard
Beauvoisin is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.Beauvoisin is a small southern village with a post office, bar, newsagent, grocers, butchers and a couple of bakeries. It's quite famous for bull games in the city streets and the arenas. Unlike Spanish bull fighting, the game in...
, Bellegarde
Bellegarde, Gard
Bellegarde is a commune in the Gard départment in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Bernis
Bernis
Bernis is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Bezouce
Bezouce
Bezouce is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Bouillargues
Bouillargues
Bouillargues is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-External links:*...
, Le Cailar
Le Cailar
Le Cailar is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Caissargues
Caissargues
Caissargues is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Garons
Garons
Garons is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.The Nîmes-Alès-Camargue-Cévennes Airport, also called "Garons Airport" is located very close to Garons, on the territory of the commune of Saint-Gilles.-Population:-External links:*...
, Générac
Générac, Gard
Générac is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Jonquières-Saint-Vincent
Jonquières-Saint-Vincent
Jonquières-Saint-Vincent is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Lédenon
Lédenon
Lédenon is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-External links:* , More information about Lédenon and where to stay - B&B...
, Manduel
Manduel
Manduel is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-External links:*...
, Meynes
Meynes
Meynes is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Milhaud
Milhaud
Milhaud is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Nîmes
Nîmes
Nîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
, Redessan
Redessan
Redessan is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Rodilhan
Rodilhan
Rodilhan is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:...
, Saint-Gilles
Saint-Gilles, Gard
Saint-Gilles or Saint-Gilles-du-Gard is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.It is the second most populous commune in the Nîmes metropolitan area.-Geography:...
, Sernhac
Sernhac
Sernhac is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:...
, Uchaud
Uchaud
Uchaud is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Vauvert
Vauvert
Vauvert is a commune in the Gard department in southern France. It was known as Posquières in the Middle Ages.The commune comprises the town of Vauvert and the villages of Gallician and Montcalm. Over a third of the population work in industry, which is largely the food...
, and Vestric-et-Candiac
Vestric-et-Candiac
Vestric-et-Candiac is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
.
Red
The Costières de Nîmes produce mostly red wines, from Syrah and MourvèdreMourvèdre
Mourvèdre , Mataró or Monastrell is wine grape variety used to make both strong, dark red wines and rosés. It is an international variety grown in many regions around the world....
together 20%, Grenache
Grenache
Grenache is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, the south of France, and California's San Joaquin Valley. It is generally spicy, berry-flavored and soft on the palate with a relatively...
minimum of 25%, Carignan maximum 40%, Cinsault, maximum 40%. They are closer in style to Rhône wine than Languedoc wine
Languedoc wine
Languedoc - Roussillon wine, including the vin de pays labeled Vin de Pays d'Oc, is produced in southern France. While "Languedoc" can refer to a specific historic region of France and Northern Catalonia, usage since the 20th century has primarily referred to the northern part of the...
and generally they are elegant, well balanced, lightly structured, with aromas of red fruit, blackberry, prune and black cherry. Some of the wines are rounder, more generous, with a higher level of tannins.
The reds account for approximately 59% of the total production.
White
White wines account for about 4% of the AOC production. A small amount, approximately 5% of the total, of white wine is made from the BourboulencBourboulenc
Bourboulenc is a white wine grape variety primarily grown in southern France. The variety is found in the regions Southern Rhône, Provence and Languedoc....
, Clairette Blanc
Clairette Blanc
Clairette blanche is a white wine grape variety most widely grown in the wine regions of Provence, Rhône and Languedoc in France. At the end of the 1990s, there were of Clairette Blanche grown in France, although volumes are decreasing....
, Grenache Blanc
Grenache Blanc
Grenache blanc is a variety of white wine grape that is related to the red grape Grenache. It is mostly found in Rhône wine blends and in northeast Spain. Its wines are characterized by high alcohol and low acidity, with citrus and or herbaceous notes. Its vigor can lead to overproduction and...
, Maccabéo, Rolle
Vermentino
Vermentino is a late-ripening white grape variety, primarily found in Italian wine. It is widely planted in Sardinia, in Liguria primarily under the name Pigato, to some extent in Corsica, in Piedmont under the name Favorita, and in increasing amounts in Languedoc-Roussillon. The leaves are dark...
, Roussanne
Roussanne
Roussanne is a white wine grape grown originally in the Rhône wine region in France, where it is often blended with Marsanne. It is the only other white variety, besides Marsanne, allowed in the northern Rhône appellations of Crozes-Hermitage AOC, Hermitage AOC and Saint-Joseph AOC...
and Ugni Blanc, maximum 30% varieties. The whites must be blended from a minimum of two varieties. Ugni Blanc will be discontinued from the AOC with effect from and including the harvest of 2010.
The whites are well balanced with aromas of flower and fruit, citrus, and occasionally apple and pear.
They can be consumed alone or as an accompaniment to seafood and grilled fish.
Rosé
Some roséRosé
A rosé is a type of wine that has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques.- Production techniques :There are three major ways to produce rosé...
is made as a by-product from the production of red wines, with the same permitted percentages of grape varieties, with a possible maximum of 10% of white grapes from the allowed varieties for the white wines. These are light and dry, traditionally well balanced and delicate. A wine for leisure as well as for the strict of meals of white meats and poultry, they are often drunk chilled, are refreshing, and can be consumed at any time of the day. Locally, it is often taken with light meals of salads, pasta, and pizza. Rosé accounts for approximately 37% of the total production.
The minimum decreed alcohol content for all three colours is 11%.