Corbières

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• The Corbières massif is located at the north-eastern tip of the Pyrenees, bounded by the upper Aude valley to the west, the Languedoc depression to the north, and the Mediterranean to the east.
• The relief is dominated by three peaks: the Pic de Bugarach at 1,230 metres, Mont Tauch at 917 metres, and the Pic Alaric at 600 metres at the northern limit of the geographical area.
• The soils of the delimited plots are essentially clay-limestone, developed on Eocene molasse, and are generally of low fertility, shallow, stony, and well drained.
• The Mediterranean climate — dry, sunny, and warm — is marked by the ever-present Tramontane, or Cers, a wind blowing from the west, and a sea breeze that brings humidity and rainfall in autumn and spring.
• Average annual rainfall increases with altitude, with the coastline receiving fewer than 450 millimetres per year compared with more than 700 millimetres in the mountainous areas, while average annual temperatures decrease from east to west, from 15.4 °C near the sea to 13.4 °C near Carcassonne.
• The geographical area of the appellation extends across the territory of 87 communes located in the eastern part of the Aude département.

• The vine was introduced by Greek merchants in the 2nd century BC, before experiencing a genuine expansion during the Roman occupation.
• In AD 92, wine production from the Narbonnaise region was overshadowing Roman production, leading the Emperor Domitian to demand a restriction on output.
• After the creation of a growers' defence syndicate in 1908 and the delimitation of the geographical area in 1923, Corbières was recognised as an appellation d'origine contrôlée by decree on 24 December 1985.
• The name Corbières is said to derive from the crows (corbeaux) that fed on the carcasses of sheep decimated by epizootics, left out on land that is today planted with vines. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

• The red wines are generally well balanced, full-bodied, and powerful, often displaying notes of intense red fruit and spice, and show good ageing potential.
• The rosé has an elegant nose, most often marked by floral and fruity notes, with a fresh attack on the palate followed by a pleasing roundness.
• The white wine is characterised mainly by elegant aromas of white flowers and a balance built on roundness and finesse.

• The thin, stony soils give the red wines their structure and power, while the deeper, cooler soils lend the rosés their characteristic fruity aromas.
• Sheltered plots allow the red and rosé wines to express supple tannins and characteristic fruit notes, particularly red fruit in the case of the red wines.

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 6 décembre 2019, JORF 8 décembre 2019
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — CIVL