Saint-Mont

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Varieties of interest

Terroir

• The geographical zone is located approximately 100 kilometres from both the Pyrenees to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, forming a broad crescent of hillside slopes.
• The appellation extends across the territory of 46 communes, of which 3 are partially included, situated in the south-east of the Gers département.
• Rainfall shows a strong west-to-east gradient, ranging from 1,000 millimetres per year in the west to 800 millimetres per year in the east, while summers and early autumn are warm and often dry under the frequent influence of a southerly foehn-type wind.
• The geological substrate to the west is represented by the Sables Fauves, a Tertiary marine formation, overlain by ancient alluvial sheets whose pebbles colluviate down the slopes.
• The soils are either clay-limestone soils developed over the molasse to the east, or acid, leached soils developed over the Sables Fauves and pebbly colluvium, poor in mineral nutrients.
• The morphology of the valleys is markedly asymmetrical, with the west-facing slope often steep, in contrast to the east-facing slope, which is gently inclined.

• Documentation from the monastery of Saint-Mont attests that vines were already present at the beginning of the 2nd millennium on what would become the geographical zone of the appellation.
• The first growers' association for the defence of Saint-Mont wines was established in 1957, before the vineyard plantings were renewed from 1970 onwards around local grape varieties such as tannat, cabernet franc, cabernet-sauvignon, fer, arrufiac, courbu, gros manseng, and petit manseng.
• The collective momentum of the winegrowers led to the recognition in 1981 of the appellation vin délimité de qualité supérieure Côtes de Saint-Mont, renamed Saint-Mont in 2007, and subsequently recognised as a protected designation of origin in 2011.

• The red wines display an intense colour and a tannic structure that gives them good ageing potential, with aromas evolving towards candied fruits, spices, and oaky notes from barrel maturation.
• The rosé wines have a lively finish that makes them harmonious wines showing a good balance between richness and acidity, with red fruit notes on the nose.
• The white wines are highly aromatic, rich, and well-balanced, owing to the presence of the gros manseng grape variety.

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 26 mai 2025 publié au JORF le 29 mai 2025
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — IVSO — Interprofession des Vins du Sud-Ouest