Boutenac

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The vineyard is organised around the massif called Pinada de Boutenac, which rises to 273 metres in altitude, in a gentle relief of hills, elongated ridges and knolls capped with pine woods.
• The zone is delimited by three rivers, the Orbieu to the north, the Aussou to the south and the Nielle to the west, and the vines occupy the slopes up to about 180 metres in altitude.
• Most of the delimited plots have soils developed on Miocene molasse, low in fertility, well drained and rich in rolled pebbles and siliceous elements, allowing deep rooting that limits water stress.
• Some plots have soils developed on outcrops of limestone and sandstone, the zone also being bordered to the south by the limestone plateaus of Thézan-des-Corbières and Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse.
• The Mediterranean climate is characterised by dry, windy, hot summers with a very marked summer water deficit, mild winters, and rainfall rarely exceeding 500 millimetres a year.
• The Cers, a drying and sometimes violent wind from the west, protects the vineyard from fungal diseases, while the sea wind from the east has its influence limited by the Fontfroide massif.

• Vines have been present in the Corbières since the end of the 1st century under the reign of Augustus, with traces of Roman planting at Boutenac, Fabrezan, Ferrals-les-Corbières, Lézignan-Corbières and Montséret.
• A red wine was recognised under the appellation d'origine contrôlée "Corbières-Boutenac" in 2005, following the recognition of the AOC "Corbières" by decree of 24 December 1985.
• Harvesting of young vines is permitted under the appellation only from the 4th year after planting for Syrah and Grenache, and from the 7th year for Mourvèdre and Carignan.
• Yields are very low and limited to 42 hectolitres per hectare, for a total production of about 7,400 hectolitres over 220 hectares.

• The dry red wine must be aged until 31 December of the year following the harvest, including at least 2 months in bottle to refine its tannic structure.
• Young, the wines show a deep colour shot through with violet highlights, then develop aromas of spice and ripe fruit with notes of mocha and caramel.
• The combined proportion of Carignan, Grenache and Mourvèdre in the blends is 70% or more, and the wines are powerful and generous on the palate, built on rounded, harmonious tannins.

• In the coolest sites, the Syrah grape contributes sought-after and distinctive aromatic notes, having adapted well since its introduction to Languedoc-Roussillon in the early 1980s.
• The Grenache grape thrives in stony soils and adapts to wind and the hottest sites, contributing fruitiness, alcoholic richness and breadth to the blends.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 2 septembre 2022, JORF 9 septembre 2022
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — CIVL