Côtes de Gascogne

Côtes de Gascogne is the name of a wine-growing region in Gascony. It mainly produces white wine country. The area lies mainly in the department of Gers, a part of the French region of Midi -Pyrenees. The Côtes de Gascogne are classified as Vin de Pays and are produced in Armagnacgebiet. They are part of the Sud -Ouest region.

The decree of September 13, 1968 Vins de Pays and distinguishes between the simple table wines, songenannten Vins de Table. The granting of the Appellation d' Origine certificate for the Vins de Pays Côtes de Gascogne obliges producers to comply with the strict guidelines that were adopted in the Regulation of January 25, 1982 and determined.

Association of Producers

The Syndicat des Vins de Pays Côtes de Producteurs de Gascogne was founded on 15 March 1979 and protects the interests of its members, provides on production rules and analyzed the production. The club has at this moment about 1400 wine farmers from them in 1300 members of the so-called caves coopératives (Cooperative) are connected. Further, there are about 150 independent wine -producing farmers.

Production

With the permitted production volume of 830,000 hectoliters per year Gers in France is the largest producer of white Vin de Pays. The production potential is more than 100 million bottles per year, of which 75 % are destined for export.

In Gers is 91 % of the production volume of white wine, red wine 8% and 1% consists of rosé, which is very atypical for South West France, as elsewhere, the majority of red wine is produced.

Regulations

• Only red, white and rosé wines.
• Only wines from the defined growing area.

Vine varietals for red and rosé are:

• Abouriou
• Cabernet Franc
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Duras
• Fer
• Malbec
• Merlot
• Négrette
• Blue Portugal
• Tannat

Varieties for white wine are:

• Colombard
• Gros Manseng
• Ugny Blanc
• Jurançon
• Len de l' El
• Muscadelle
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Sémillon

Production Area

The production area consists of

• Armagnac Ténarèze
• Bas- Armagnac
• Haut- Armagnac

And is located about three Gers, Landes, Lot -et -Garonne scattered.

Harvested area only grapes can be distilled for Armagnac or processed into a Vin de Pays designation of origin Vin de Pays Côtes de Gascogne or Floc de Gascogne.

The area coincides with the production area of ​​the Armagnacs.

The full AOC area consists of vineyards with a surface area of ​​15,000 hectares.

The production area is mainly in the Gers, where almost two-thirds ( 11,700 hectares ) is used for wine cultivation for the production of Côtes de Gascogne and Armagnac.

The following cantons Gers ' due to a production: Aignan, too, Cazaubon, Condom, Fleurance, Jegun, Lectoure, Montesquiou, Montreal, Nogaro, Plaisance, Riscle, Valence- sur- Baise, Vic -Fezensac.

Only in 2005 the designation of origin to the Armagnac vineyard in the Bas- Armagnac and Armagnac Ténarèze was extended.

Ground

The area consists of alluvial soils with clay and sand.

Climate

About the country across the Atlantic still has influence; in the spring it is very wet and sunny in the rest of the year.

Swell

• Syndicat des Côtes de Gascogne