Côtes du Vivarais AOC
Encyclopedia
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
-growing AOC
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...
in the northwestern extreme of the southern Rhône wine region
Rhône (wine region)
The Rhône wine region in Southern France is situated in the Rhône river valley and produces numerous wines under various Appellation d'origine contrôlée designations...
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...
. The wines are produced in 9 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...
of the Ardèche
Ardèche
Ardèche is a department in south-central France named after the Ardèche River.- History :The area has been inhabited by humans at least since the Upper Paleolithic, as attested by the famous cave paintings at Chauvet Pont d'Arc. The plateau of the Ardeche River has extensive standing stones ,...
department, and in 5 communes of the 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...
. The region is bisected by the deep Gorges of the Ardèche and is shares the same latitudes as the Coteaux de Tricastin AOC on the left bank of the 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...
. The wine became a 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...
in 1962 and was awarded the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée in 1999.
Wines
Red wines account for 80% of the production and are made from Grenache Noir minimum 30%, and Syrah, minimum 40% with carignan at less than 10% (until the harvest of 2017), and Cinsault at less than 10% (from the harvest of 2018) as secondary varieties.Rosé wines account for 15% of the production and are made from Grenache Noir, Syrah and Cinsault at .
White wines comprise 5% of the production and are made from Clairette
Clairette
-People:*Clairette , a French-Canadian actress and singer-Wines:*Clairette de Die AOC, a French sparkling wine appellation*Clairette blanche, a white grape variety* Clairette Ronde, synonym for the grape variety Trebbiano...
, 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...
, Marsanne.
Economy
Wines have been produced in the region for over 2,000 years. In the region extending from the Rhône valley to the Cévennes and the Ardèche mountains - both foothills of the Massif CentralMassif Central
The Massif Central is an elevated region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaux....
- vines were cultivated by the Helvians, an ancient Gallic tribe. Pliny the Elder reported about a vine in Helvie “that flowers in a day, which protects it from accidents”; the region would wait however, until the Middle Ages before the production was well established and the wine became well known. With the planting of the traditional Rhône valley varieties of Grenache Noir, Syrah, Grenache Blanc and Marsanne in the early second half of the 20th century, cooperative wineries were formed to increase production to a commercial scale. The Côtes du Vivarais wines are produced on a total of 554 hectares by 149 concerns which include 138 growers, 22 small private wineries, and the 11 cooperative wineries which cater for about 90% of the production.
The vineyards are at an altitude of 250 metres on either side of the gorge and are located in the Ardèche communes of Bidon
Bidon
Bidon is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-Population:...
, Gras
Gras
Gras is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Labastide-de-Virac
Labastide-de-Virac
Labastide-de-Virac is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern FranceIt features a small fort dating back to the 16th century.-References:*...
, Lagorce
Lagorce, Ardèche
Lagorce is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-Geography:The village lies in the middle of the commune, on the right bank of the Salastre, a right tributary of the river Ibie, which flows southward through the eastern part of the commune.-References:*...
, Larnas
Larnas
Larnas is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France....
, Orgnac-l'Aven
Orgnac-l'Aven
Orgnac-l'Aven is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.The Aven d'Orgnac cave is located near the village.-Population:-References:*...
, Saint-Montan
Saint-Montan
Saint-Montan is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Saint-Remèze
Saint-Remèze
Saint-Remèze is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, and Vinezac
Vinezac
Vinezac is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-Population:...
, and in the Gard communes of Barjac
Barjac, Gard
Barjac is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.The valley of the river Cèze lies to the south, and the river Ardèche is to the north....
, Le Garn
Le Garn
Le Garn is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Issirac
Issirac
Issirac is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:...
, Montclus
Montclus, Gard
Montclus is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, and Saint-Privat-de-Champclos
Saint-Privat-de-Champclos
Saint-Privat-de-Champclos is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
.