On 16th November the INAO announced that the wine commission (actually Le Comité national des appellations d’origine relatives aux vins et aux boissons alcoolisées et des eaux-de-vie de l’INAO – should you need to know) had agreed to promote Haut-Poitou from VDQS to full appellation contrôlée status. They also agreed to the promotion of Côtes d'Auvergne. Both decisions need to be ratified by the French Minister for Agriculture. This is somewhat of a formality, although the process can take up to around six months.

By my reckoning this leaves three remaining VDQSs in the Loire – Fiefs Vendéens, Coteaux d'Ancenis and Gros Plant. My guess is that the first two are very likely to be promoted to AC status, whereas it is much less sure for Gros Plant, whose producers originally opted for vin de pays. The VDQSs are due to disappear next year.

'Wines of Haut Poitou granted AOC status

17 November 2010

The wines of Haut Poitou have been granted Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) status, after decades of effort by the regions vineyards to meet the stringent criteria required.

Haut Poitou is an area of some 800 hectares situated to the north of Poitiers, covering some 40 communes (38 in the Vienne and 2 in Deux Sevres), where winemaking can be traced back to Roman times.

After WWII, wines from the region were marketed under the name Neuville du Poitou by the cooperative of wine growers, and in 1970 the product achieved the Appellation d'Origine Vins Délimités de Qualité Supérieure status, in recognition of quality of wines from the region.  Since 1989 the wines have been marketed under the brand ‘Vin du Haut-Poitou.’

White wines from the area can be made with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Blanc grape varieties.   Red and Rosé wines can be made with Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, Merlot Rouge, Cot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay de Chaudeney and Grolleau (according to the official Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (INAO) criteria).'

From the Guide2 Poitou Charentes.

Jamie Goode's Wine Anorak site has a recently posted profile of Frédéric Brochet and his Ampelidae project in Haut-Poitou.

I have finally got my report on my visit to Mikaël Bouges finished and am now working Pascal Potaire.

2008 harvest in the Pays Nantais with Che

The VDQS Gros Plant Syndicat has opted to apply for IGP (Indication Géographique de Provenance) status. By the end of this year all those still remaining in the VDQS (Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure) category will have to opt for either AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée) or IGP. From 2009 to the end of 2011 only those that have applied either for AC or VDP status will be able to continue to sell their wines as VDQS.

The Loire has many of the now limited number of VDQS remaining, so it is make your mind up time for Châteaumeillant, Coteaux d’Ancenis, Côtes d’Auvergne, Fiefs Vendéens, Haut-Poitou, Saint-Pourçain and Thouarsais.

The château at Ancenis. Coteaux d'Ancenis is one of the
remaining VDQSs, who now have to opt for AOP or IGP

The Gros Plant Syndicat decided that Gros Plant would be better off as a IGP than trying to become AOP (similar to the existing AOC but a European-wide designation) because this will allow them to blend Gros Plant with other varieties such as Colombard, Montils and Pinot Gris (Malvoisie in the Pays Nantais). Going for AOP status would have meant reducing yields and some of the existing Gros Plant vineyards would have been left outside the new zone.

The Syndicat's decision is not a surprise. The production of Gros Plant declined considerably and it was very likley that it would have struggled to get AOP status. It will, however, be a shame if all Gros Plant ends up being blended with other varieties as good examples remain a wonderful match with oysters.

In early June 2008 as part of the European Union reform of the wine industry the French government adopted AOP and IGP. AOP is almost identical to the AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controllée) while IGP is a more flexible version of VDP (Vins de Pays). Under IGP producers can use whatever varieties they wish and it is possible to use oak chips and add tannins and acidity.


From: E-Lettre Vitisphere No 324 21st Novembre 2008
Pays de Loire : Le VDQS Gros Plant choisit l’IGP
Le syndicat du VDQS Gros Plant du Pays Nantais s’est prononcé pour un passage en IGP (Indication Géographique de Provenance) dans le cadre de la future segmentation de l’OCM qui entrera en application en août 2009. La disparition annoncée des VDQS avait déjà conduit le syndicat à se prononcer il y a quelques années sur son passage en AOC. Aujourd’hui le syndicat revient sur cette position, estimant que le cadre de l’IGP proposé par l’Europe correspond mieux aux ambitions de l’appellation Gros Plant. «Cette catégorie de vin offre une souplesse qui cadre bien avec ce qu’est actuellement le Gros Plant. Le choix de l’AOP nous aurait conduit à des baisses de rendement et des restrictions de l’aire d’appellation qui ne nous semblent pas opportunes. Par ailleurs, nous envisageons d’élargir notre encépagement en autorisant les assemblages avec le Colombard, le Montils et le Pinot gris. Ce projet a plus de chance d’aboutir dans le cadre de l’IGP que de l’AOP », argumente Jean-Michel Morille, vice-président du syndicat.