Clairette de Bellegarde
Styles
Principal grape varieties
Terroir
Natural factors
- Fersiallitic gravelly soils known as "gress": rounded pebbles on the surface, red clay at depth, with good water-retention capacity.
- The Mistral (a cold, dry northerly wind) is tempered by cool marine breezes from the Camargue, amplifying the diurnal temperature range. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Mediterranean climate with 2,700 hours of sunshine per year, semi-arid summers, and temperatures regularly peaking above 35 °C.
- An appellation confined to the single commune of Bellegarde (Gard), making it the southernmost appellation of the Rhône Valley.
Human factors
- Wines made from Clairette B were already prized in the 15th century; in 1774, Bellegarde was noted for the scale of its production within the diocese of Nîmes.
- Granted AOC status by decree on 28 June 1949; the plot-level boundaries had already been established by the Nîmes tribunal as early as 5 July 1944. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
Product characteristics
- Dry white wines with intense floral aromas, notes of honey and linden blossom, and occasionally a slight bitterness on the finish.
Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.
Sources
- Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 24 octobre 2011, JORF 27 octobre 2011
- Official INAO text (show_texte)
- INAO product entry
- Official trade body site — CIVL