Béarn AOC

The wine region of Béarn is located in the Sud-Ouest wine region in France. Name factor was the historical region of Béarn. The vineyards cover 220 hectares of vineyards, spread over 84 municipalities. The appellation has since October 17, 1975 to red, rosé and white wine on the status of a Appellation d' Origine ( AOC short ). In 1997, a decree was passed in which the cultivation area was limited to 39 municipalities. It is a transitional period up to the year 2022.

The growing area Béarn is divided into three parts. In the northern area, it is almost identical with the appellations of Madiran and Pacherenc du Vic - Bilh. South of the city of Pau, the growing area overlaps with the appellation Jurançon. The well-known under the name of Béarn - Bellocq range is Salies -de- Béarn closer to the Atlantic.

The vineyards are located at an average altitude of 300 m above sea level in gentle slopes of the foothills of the Pyrenees.

Varieties

In general, the yields are limited to 50 hectoliters / hectare.

The red wines and rosé wines made ​​from the grape varieties Tannat, Cabernet Franc (which is locally called Bouchy ), Cabernet Sauvignon, Fer Servadou ( locally called Pinenc ) Manseng Noir and Courbu Noir. The share of leading grape Tannat is limited to a maximum of 60 percent. The natural alcohol content must be at least 10.5 percent by volume and the weight must be at least 189 g / l.

When white wine are Petit Manseng grape varieties, Gros Manseng, Courbu, Lauzet, Camaralet de Lasseube, Raffiat de Moncade and Sauvignon Blanc. The natural alcohol content must also be at least 10.5 percent by volume and the weight must be at least 178 g / l.

The planting density is at least 2000 vines / hectare, a very low value, which is not conducive to a quality production.

Climate

The growing area is located about 100 km from the Atlantic Ocean and a maximum of 50 km from the Pyrenees. The climate is therefore strongly influenced by the coming from the west or northwest Atlantic low pressure systems. The annual rainfall varies depending on the sub-region at 1000-1120 mm, the annual sunshine duration at moderate for the southern location 1900 hours.

The average temperature is in spite of the excessive sunshine duration in mild 12.5-13 degrees Celsius. This is explained by the greenhouse effect of a frequently dammed in the Pyrenees clouds. In addition, the area of warm fall winds benefits. Favored microclimate table are slopes, there is jammed in the valley cold air.

Approved communities

In the department of Pyrénées- Atlantiques vineyards are in the communes of subscriptions, Arbus, Arricau -Bordes, Arrosès, Artiguelouve, Aubertin, Aubous, Aurions - Idernes, Aydie, Baigts -de- Béarn, Bellocq, Bérenx, Bétracq, Bosdarros, Burosse - Mendousse, cadillon, Cardesse, Carresse, Castagnède, Castetpugon, Castillon, Conchez -de -Béarn, Corbère- Abères, Crouseilles, Cuqueron, Diusse, Escurès, Estialescq, Gan, Gayon, Gelos, Haut-de- Bosdarros, L' Hôpital- d ' Orion, Jurançon Lacommande, Lagor, Lahontan, Lahourcade, Laroin, Lasserre, Lasseube, Lasseubetat, Lembeye, Lespielle - Germenaud -Lanne Grasse, Lucq -de- Béarn, Mascaraàs - Haron, Mazères- Lezons, Moncaup, Moncla, Monein, Monpezat, Mont- Disse, Mourenx, Narcastet, Ogenne - Camptort, Oraàs, Orthez, Parbayse, Portet, Puyoô, Ramous, Rontignon, Saint- Faust, Saint -Jean- Poudge, Sainte -Suzanne (now belonging to Orthez ), Salies -de- Bearn, Salles- Mongiscard, Sauvelade, Séméacq - Blachon, Tadousse - Ussau, Tadon - Sadirac - Viellenave, Uzos, Vialer and Vielleségure admitted.

In the Hautes -Pyrénées, the boroughs of Castelnau -Rivière -Basse, Hagedet, Lascazères, Madiran, Saint- Lanne and Soublecause in the defined region. In the department of Gers, this applies to the communities Cannet, Maumusson - Laguian and Viella.