Charentais

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The geographical area corresponds to the northern limit of the Aquitaine basin, between the approaches to the Gironde estuary to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Poitevin marshes to the north, and the first foothills of the Massif Central to the east.
• The most common soils are clay-limestone over limestone, as in the Saint-Sornin area, with sandier soils on the coastal sectors and on the islands of Ré and Oléron.
• The temperate oceanic climate has a mean annual temperature of around 13°C and rainfall distributed over nearly 150 days per year, totalling approximately 800 mm.
• The Saint-Sornin vineyard, situated at the foot of the first hill of the Massif Central in the highest-lying sector of the Charentes, receives considerably higher rainfall, close to 1,200 mm per year.
• Along the coastline, the drier, sunnier climate with less pronounced temperature ranges leads to earlier budburst on the islands of Ré and Oléron, but a later ripening.

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

Dénominations géographiques complémentaires

• Charentais Charente PGI
• Charentais Charente-Maritime PGI
• Charentais Ile d'Oléron PGI
• Charentais Ile de Ré PGI
• Charentais Saint-Sornin PGI

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 12 octobre 2021, JORF 20 octobre 2021
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — Confédération des Vins IGP de France