WHAT IS A GRAPE VARIETY?

As with strawberries and apples, which come in various varieties, Golden, Gala, Fugi, etc., so do grapes, which can be compared to a cultivated vine variety that produces either table grapes or wine grapes for winemaking. The main French grape varieties each have their own characteristics and vary according to the region and the type of wine desired. Namely, the science that studies the different grape varieties is called ampelography.

An incredible diversity

It is estimated that there are about 6,000 to 7,000 grape varieties in the world (past and present). In France, only 326 are registered, and therefore authorised for cultivation, in the Official National Catalogue. An incredible diversity even though many old varieties have disappeared. Today, only 20 grape varieties make the wine planet go round. And even if we are witnessing a return to our roots, to the highlighting of native grape varieties, this only concerns niche markets... Grape varieties have followed the evolution of mankind. Like him, they have travelled around the world and have mingled according to their encounters. With its Mediterranean climate, favourable to the cultivation of vines, Provence is inseparable from rosé wine, symbol of the summer. Moreover, the South-East region supplies nearly 40% of the national production in AOC. The majority of vineyards in the Var have adopted a combination of grape varieties, selected for their ability to flourish in this maritime, sunny and windy climate: Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Tibouren and Rolle are the most usual.

AN AUTOCHTHONOUS GRAPE VARIETY, WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

An autochthonous, or endemic, grape variety is a variety originating from an original terroir and adapted to a soil, which benefits from a climate offering unique specificities in terms of colour or flavours. Nowadays, the revival of forgotten vegetables or grape varieties is a real trend. A subject that is very much at the heart of the actions of the Wine Mosaic association, mobilized for biodiversity and which encourages winegrowers to preserve and promote original grape varieties, to name but a few, Grenache noir in Roussillon, Vermantino in Corsica or Pinot noir in Burgundy. A very precise set of specifications requires a very precise percentage to be respected in the composition of the wines, for example for a Chablis where the Chardonnay must be 100% present.

Can an endemic grape variety flourish outside its vineyard of origin?

A vast debate... If purists claim that it is impossible, it is clear that many exceptions reject this assertation. Originally from the Médoc, Cabernet Sauvignon has blithely crossed borders and oceans to become one of the most widespread grape varieties in the world, from Chile to California via Argentina. And Syrah, the historical native of the Côtes du Rhône, is very present throughout the south of France... A grape variety can therefore produce very good wines outside its historical vineyard, but with a sometimes different expression. In viticulture, one must know how to respect authenticity and tradition without closing oneself to new experiences, which can be surprising.