C 88/76
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
24.2.2022
Soils vary from pebbly clay-limestone to sand to gravel over molasse and sandstone.
They are poor, well-drained and sensitive to erosion.
Their shallow and not overly humid nature makes them perfectly suited to wine-growing.
The department of Bouches-du-Rhône has a Mediterranean climate, with typically long hours of sunshine.
Summers are very hot and dry, while winters are relatively mild.
Temperatures vary depending on the season; they are particularly high in summer, frequently reaching 35°C under cover.
The average annual temperature difference between daytime and night-time is pronounced, especially in winter, with periodic cold spikes at night causing heavy frosts.
Precipitation is irregular and unevenly distributed throughout the year.
Heavy showers are not uncommon.
The Mistral, a cold, dry wind from the north, blows around 100 days per year, with frequent gusts of more than 100 km/h.
The vineyards of Provence are over 2 600 years old, the oldest in France.
They are renowned in particular for their rosé wines.
From 1907 onwards, many winegrowers felt the need to associate in order to confront the difficulties they faced.
Rules governing winemaking practices were established and growers formed cooperatives and unions, which led to improvements in quality.
A precise statutory definition of ‘vin de canton’ (canton wine) was established in 1964 to grant official recognition to wines tied to an administrative area of production with a specific set of soil and climatic conditions.
A 1968 decree changed ‘vin de canton’ to ‘vin de pays’ (regional wine).
Regional wines were initially identified by the name of the department where they were produced and had to conform to specific production criteria that required a higher level of quality.
Bouches-du-Rhône wine first gained official recognition as a ‘vin de pays’, before becoming a protected geographical indication in 2011.
‘Pays des Bouches-du-Rhône’ is mainly produced in two distinct areas of the department: the main area by production volume (65-70 %) has a central-eastern location, around Aix-en-Provence, while in the west lies the Camargue production area, south-east of Tarascon, covering the communes of Arles and Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.
Wines from this area are distinguished by the ‘Terre de Camargue’ indication.
This geographical area is exclusively dedicated to the production of ‘Pays des Bouches-du-Rhône’ PGI wines.
8.2 Causal link between the specificity of the geographical area and the specificity of the product The ‘Pays des Bouches-du-Rhône’ PGI, which covers all the communes in the department of Bouches-du-Rhône, rests primarily on the specific characteristics of the wines that are linked to the characteristics of the natural environment (climate and soil).
Bouches-du-Rhône is located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of south-eastern France.
It features mountainous terrain that gives way to a plain stretching all the way to the sea.
It has a Mediterranean climate and the vegetation mostly consists of scrubland.
It is also affected by the presence of the Mistral wind, which can make work more difficult for the winegrowers but benefits the vineyards, protecting them from fungal diseases and ultimately increasing the richness of the grapes by favouring higher concentrations during the final phase of ripening.
Soils vary from pebbly clay-limestone to sand to gravel over molasse and sandstone.
They are well-drained and not overly humid, perfectly suited to wine-growing.
By benefiting from these optimal natural conditions and knowing how to select the best plots of land, growers have been able to exploit the potential of different grape varieties in a region whose soils, while often poor, are well-drained and very suitable for wine-growing.
Such soils, together with a hot, dry Mediterranean climate, have resulted in optimal ripening conditions which make it possible to preserve the primary aromas of these grape varieties, resulting in wines that exhibit a characteristic freshness and aromatic potential.
The red wines are thus fresh and easily drinkable and are notable for their berry aromas, while the rosés are fresh and full, with expressive aromas of berries or citrus fruit.
The white wines are fresh and fragrant, floral or fruity, and exhibit their youth well.
Today, the annual production of ‘Pays des Bouches-du-Rhône’ PGI wines totals around 50 000 hl, and they are sold by 18 cooperative and 88 private wineries.
Rosé wines make up nearly 50 % of total production by volume, while red wines make up just over 40 % and white wines just under 10 %.
9.
Essential further conditions Supplementary indications Legal framework: national legislation Type of further condition: Additional provisions relating to labelling