Pierrevert

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• The geographical zone is bounded by the hillsides of the Durance to the west, the Pélissier forest to the north, the Valensole plateau to the east, and the Verdon valley to the south.
• The vineyard extends across the hillsides of the right bank of the Durance and the southern slopes of the stony Valensole plateau, covering 11 communes at an average altitude of 450 metres.
• The climate, at the confluence of Mediterranean and Alpine influences, is characterised by intense sunshine of more than 2,250 hours per year, low cloud cover, and fewer than 110 rainy days per year.
• The zone is one of the least windy in Provence, sheltered from cold northerly winds by the Alpine massif, while benefiting through the foehn effect from warm southerly winds that dry out as they cross the Alps.
• The most characteristic soils are found on the calcareous, stony slopes of outlier hills formed from Valensole pudding stone, with individual parcels that have been carefully selected and precisely delineated.

• In the Roman era, Manosque was a Ligurian town where craft coopers vinified a dark wine from wild vines (Lambrusques), according to the Geography of Strabo.
• In the Middle Ages, vine cultivation developed under the impetus of the Knights Templar and then the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem, continuing until the Revolution.
• Recognition as an appellation d'origine vin délimité de qualité supérieure 'Coteaux de Pierrevert' was achieved in 1959, followed by recognition as an appellation d'origine contrôlée on 1 July 1998.
• From the 1980s onwards, agricultural statistics attest to the predominance of grenache and syrah, each accounting for more than 30% of the planted area.

• The red wines, produced from blends of grenache and syrah, are distinguished by their richness in anthocyanins and the finesse of their tannic structure, often showing aromas of spice and garrigue.
• The rosé wines combine cinsaut with grenache and syrah, yielding fresh, lively, and fruity wines.
• The white wines, based essentially on a blend of grenache blanc and vermentino, are dry and lively, with an expressive nose that often presents floral and fruity notes.

• Significant diurnal temperature variation promotes the synthesis of anthocyanins and the retention of acidity in the berries, contributing to the freshness of the wines.
• The interaction between the Mediterranean climate under Alpine influence, warm dry winds, very dry summer months, and stony clay-limestone soils on hillside slopes ensures optimal ripening of the grapes.

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

All appellations in France

Sources

• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — CIVP