Coteaux du Tricastin AOC
Encyclopedia
Coteaux du Tricastin AOC is the northernmost wine-growing AOC in the southern area of the Rhône wine region of France. The wines are produced in 21 communes in the department of Drôme
on the east bank of the Rhône River in a triangle bounded by Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux
, Montélimar
, and Grignan
; opposite the Côtes du Vivarais AOC
on the right bank. the vineyards straddle both the true Mediterranean and the continental climatic regions where in this part of France the transition is rapid, winter snow being frequent in Montélimar but rare some 20 - 30 kilometres further south. In this transitional area between the northern and southern Rhône wine regions that constitutes the northern limit of the Provence, the climate in Baume-le-Transit and St Paul are more typically Mediterranean climate than the slightly cooler areas dominated by the Lance mountain
.
According to archeological finds, particularly the remains of the largest Roman wine villa in Donzère
dating from the 1st century BC, wine has been produced in the region since the antiquity. Tricastin wines were mentioned in the writings of the Marquise de Sevigné in the 16th century. The wines were accorded an AOVDQS on 19 March 1964, and were awarded their AOC
on 27 July 1973.
Red wines which comprise 95% of the total production, are made from the principal varieties of Grenache Noir and Syrah (10% minimum), with secondary varieties of Cinsault, Mourvèdre
Carignan. No single variety may be present at more than 80%. A non defined quantity of secondary varieties must not exceed 30%, or if declared separately, not more than 15% each.
Rosé: The same varieties in the same permitted proportions are used as for the red.
White wines are produced from Grenache Blanc
, Roussanne
, Clairette blanc
, Marsanne, Roussanne
, and Viognier
. No variety may be present in excess of 60%
All wines must contain a minimum of 11% alcohol.
statistics show that in 2007, 94,961 hectolitres were produced from 2,566 cultivated at an average yield of 52 hectolitres per hectare
.
The wines are produced in 21 communes of the Drôme
département at the northern limit of the Provence:
Allan
, Baume de Transit, Chamaret
, Chantemerle-lès-Grignan
, Châteauneuf-du-Rhône
, Clansayes
, Comonzelle, Donzère
, Garde-Adhémar, Granges-Gontardes, Grignan
, Malataverne
, Montségur-sur-Lauzon
, Reauville
, Roche-Saint-Secret-Béconne
, Roussas
, Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux
, Saint Restitut, Salles-sous-Bois
, Solérieux
, Valaurie
.
in July 2008, when uranium was released, the sale of Coteaux du Tricastin wine decreased. The wine growers therefore wished to change the name of the appellation to something without "Tricastin", to avoid being associated with the nuclear power plant. In June 2010, INAO
signalled its intention to allow a name change to Grignan-Les Adhemar effective from the 2010 vintage.
Drôme
Drôme , a department in southeastern France, takes its name from the Drôme River.-History:The French National Constituent Assembly set up Drôme as one of the original 83 departments of France on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution...
on the east bank of the Rhône River in a triangle bounded by Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux
Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux
Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-See also:*Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux Cathedral*Tricastin*Communes of the Drôme department-External links:*...
, Montélimar
Montélimar
Montélimar is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France. It is the second-largest town in the department after Valence.-History:...
, and Grignan
Grignan
Grignan is a commune in the Drôme department in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It has a magnificent Renaissance castle and is mentioned in the letters that Madame de Sévigné wrote to her daughter, Madame de Grignan, in the 17th century....
; opposite the Côtes du Vivarais AOC
Côtes du Vivarais AOC
Côtes du Vivarais is a wine-growing AOC in the northwestern extreme of the southern Rhône wine region of France. The wines are produced in 9 communes of the Ardèche department, and in 5 communes of the department of the Gard. The region is bisected by the deep Gorges of the Ardèche and is shares...
on the right bank. the vineyards straddle both the true Mediterranean and the continental climatic regions where in this part of France the transition is rapid, winter snow being frequent in Montélimar but rare some 20 - 30 kilometres further south. In this transitional area between the northern and southern Rhône wine regions that constitutes the northern limit of the Provence, the climate in Baume-le-Transit and St Paul are more typically Mediterranean climate than the slightly cooler areas dominated by the Lance mountain
Lance Mountain
Robert Lance Mountain was one of the more popular skateboarders throughout much of the 1980s, and one of the five most legendary members of the Bones Brigade, as featured in the 1987 classic The Search For Animal Chin .Mountain was born in Pasadena, California...
.
According to archeological finds, particularly the remains of the largest Roman wine villa in Donzère
Donzère
Donzère is a commune of the Drôme department in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It is a town located in the south of Drôme and on the left bank of Rhône river, next to Montélimar.-Geography:...
dating from the 1st century BC, wine has been produced in the region since the antiquity. Tricastin wines were mentioned in the writings of the Marquise de Sevigné in the 16th century. The wines were accorded an AOVDQS on 19 March 1964, and were awarded their AOC
AOC
AOC may refer to:*Aeronautical Operational Control, a group of applications used for communication of an aircraft with its airline or service partner pendants on the ground...
on 27 July 1973.
Wines
A characteristic of the wines from this appellation is their great diversity due to the many and mixed soil types and varied climates. The central part of the region comprises sandstone hills, while the southeast is covered with stones or gravel. The west is mainly alluvial soil with calcairous stones, and the north is covered with large glacial pebbles.Red wines which comprise 95% of the total production, are made from the principal varieties of Grenache Noir and Syrah (10% minimum), with secondary varieties of Cinsault, Mourvèdre
Mourvèdre
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....
Carignan. No single variety may be present at more than 80%. A non defined quantity of secondary varieties must not exceed 30%, or if declared separately, not more than 15% each.
Rosé: The same varieties in the same permitted proportions are used as for the red.
White wines are produced from 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...
, 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...
, 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....
, Marsanne, 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 Viognier
Viognier
Viognier is a white wine grape. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhone valley.-History:The origin of the Viognier grape is unknown. Viognier is presumed to be an ancient grape, possibly originating in Dalmatia and then brought to Rhône by the Romans. One legend...
. No variety may be present in excess of 60%
All wines must contain a minimum of 11% alcohol.
Economy
The Coteaux du Tricastin wines are produced by a total of 324 concerns which include 307 growers, 49 private wineries, 13 cooperative wineries, and 8 producer/merchants. INAOInstitut 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...
statistics show that in 2007, 94,961 hectolitres were produced from 2,566 cultivated at an average yield of 52 hectolitres per hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
.
The wines are produced in 21 communes of the Drôme
Drôme
Drôme , a department in southeastern France, takes its name from the Drôme River.-History:The French National Constituent Assembly set up Drôme as one of the original 83 departments of France on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution...
département at the northern limit of the Provence:
Allan
Allan
-Places:* Allan, Saskatchewan, Canada* Allan, the Allaine river's lower course, in France* Allan, Drôme, town in France- People :* James Allan * Keith Allan * Lewis Allan, pseudonym of American lyricist Abel Metropolitan...
, Baume de Transit, Chamaret
Chamaret
Chamaret is a commune of the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:...
, Chantemerle-lès-Grignan
Chantemerle-lès-Grignan
Chantemerle-lès-Grignan is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Châteauneuf-du-Rhône
Châteauneuf-du-Rhône
Châteauneuf-du-Rhône is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Clansayes
Clansayes
Clansayes is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:...
, Comonzelle, Donzère
Donzère
Donzère is a commune of the Drôme department in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It is a town located in the south of Drôme and on the left bank of Rhône river, next to Montélimar.-Geography:...
, Garde-Adhémar, Granges-Gontardes, Grignan
Grignan
Grignan is a commune in the Drôme department in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It has a magnificent Renaissance castle and is mentioned in the letters that Madame de Sévigné wrote to her daughter, Madame de Grignan, in the 17th century....
, Malataverne
Malataverne
Malataverne is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:...
, Montségur-sur-Lauzon
Montségur-sur-Lauzon
Montségur-sur-Lauzon is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Reauville
Réauville
Réauville is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Roche-Saint-Secret-Béconne
Roche-Saint-Secret-Béconne
Roche-Saint-Secret-Béconne is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Roussas
Roussas
If you are looking for Roussas, a Portuguese parish in Melgaço, see Roussas Roussas is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:...
, Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux
Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux
Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-See also:*Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux Cathedral*Tricastin*Communes of the Drôme department-External links:*...
, Saint Restitut, Salles-sous-Bois
Salles-sous-Bois
Salles-sous-Bois is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Solérieux
Solérieux
Solérieux is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Valaurie
Valaurie
Valaurie is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:...
.
Name change
Following an accident at the Tricastin Nuclear Power CenterTricastin Nuclear Power Center
The Tricastin Nuclear Power Plant is a collection of sites run by Areva and EDF located in 4 different communes Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux and Pierrelatte in Drôme, Bollène and Lapalud in Vaucluse, and four departments on right bank of the Channel of Donzère-Mondragon between Valence The Tricastin...
in July 2008, when uranium was released, the sale of Coteaux du Tricastin wine decreased. The wine growers therefore wished to change the name of the appellation to something without "Tricastin", to avoid being associated with the nuclear power plant. In June 2010, 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...
signalled its intention to allow a name change to Grignan-Les Adhemar effective from the 2010 vintage.