Corbières A.O.C.
A.O.C. red, rosé and white since 1985
Website :
www.aoc-corbieres.com
History of the Corbieres
After a period of strong development
under the reign of Augustus, the wines of the "Narbonnaise"
suffered from the vindication of important Roman landowners
victims of the strong competition this production
engendered.
In 92 , Domitian ordered half of all plantations to be
pulled up. The revival of vine growing came several
centuries later with the establishment of the large
Cistercian and Benedictine abbeys such as Lagrasse and
Fontfroide.
From the XI to the XIII century thousands of hectares were
cultivated but the Albigensian crusades again left the
country desolate. It was not until the XVIII century that
wine production picked up again in the Corbières,
subsequently to be sold as far afield as Russia or
Scotland.
Since then, the vine in the Corbieres has not ceased to
occupy a predominant position in the life and landscapes of
the Corbières with efforts for quality developing from the
beginning of the 20th century
Appellation production area of Corbieres
The vineyards within
the Corbieres lie within a quadrilateral area between
Carcassonne, Narbonne, Perpignan and Quillan, which extends
from the gates of Carcassonne to the lakes of Leucate and
La Nouvelle and the foothills of the Pyrenees to the
Montagne Noire.
Geology of Corbieres
Set between the
mutable Pyrenees and the ancient Massif Central, Corbières
has had a very complex geological history, which today
explains the great diversity of soils in the region
(schist, limestone, sandstone and marl). This diversity is
reflected in the eleven terroirs spread over the
appellation.
Climate of Corbieres
The
Mediterranean predominates, as can be seen in the typical
vegetation of the garrigue, although the more westerly
terroirs are also affected by oceanic
influences.
Grape Varieties found in Corbieres
Grenache, Syrah,
Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsault are used for the red and
rosé wines. Grenache blanc, Bourboulenc, Maccabeu, Marsanne
and Roussanne are used for the white wines of the
Corbieres
Vinification within Corbieres
Corbieres Red wines -
traditional fermentation or vinification of whole grapes.
Increasingly, red wines are being matured in oak. Research
and trials are being carried out by the Syndicate of AOC
Corbières into this.
Corbieres Rosé wines -
obtained by bleeding
Corbieres White wines - Traditional techniques, maceration on
the skins (some vinfication in casks).
Some
of the larger Vineyards in Corbieres
Château de Mattes-Sabran
Château de Mattes-Sabran is a massive 615
hectare estate in the Sigean sub-region (as yet not legally
defined) of Corbières, France's fourth largest appellation.
Here the soils consist, generalising, of marine clay and
limestone, and Jean-Luc Brouillat and his wife continue the
family tradition of tending vines on this estate, which has
been in the family since 1733. There are about 90 ha of
vines all told, planted in 3 ha blocks, in two large
portions. There is a 27 ha portion on the soils typical of
Corbières , and a larger 60 ha portion around the house,
planted on alluvial gravel and on limestone and marl. These
vineyards support a range of varieties, the reds including
Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre, the whites Vermentino (also
known as Rolle), as well as the more usual 'international'
varieties.
http://www.mattes-sabran.fr/ang/vignoble.html
Château
Mansenoble
Château Mansenoble is situated in the
northwest of the Corbières appellation. The estate is run
by Guido Jansegers, with his wife Marie-Annick. Together
they extol a vineyard of 20 ha, of which 6.5 ha is AC
Corbières and 13.5 ha is entitled to Vin de Pays des
Coteaux de Miramont. The AC land is planted up with
Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Mourvèdre, whilst Cabernet
and Merlot go to the vin de pays.
http://www.mansenoble.com/
Château
Vaugelas
Chateau Vaugelas, in Corbières, is a
classic example of how outside expertise and investment can
benefit a property, and so a whole wine region. A domaine
with some history, Chateau Vaugelas has been the seat of
the Bonfils family for five generations, and they have
tended vineyards filled with the traditional varieties of
the south; Grenache, Carignan and so on. There are 110 ha
in all, on argilo-limestone soils mixed with some of the
large galets otherwise found in Châteauneuf du Pape. In
1996 the property has seen investment and renovation, and
boasts an impressive cellar.
http://www.chateauvaugelas.com/
The following section are links to Winemakers in the
Corbieres of all Price ranges
Château le Bouis, Gruissan
Castelmaure, Embres & Castelmaure
L'Etoile du Matin, Feuilla
Château Gleon, Durban
Domaine Grand Lauze, Ferrals
Château Haut-Gleon, Durban
Château de l'Horte, Montbrun
Château Hauterive le Haut, Boutenac
Château de Lastours, Portel-les-Corbières
Domaine de Longueroche, Saint-Andre de Rouquelongue
Château de Luc, Luc sur Orbieu
Les Vignerons d'Octaviana, Boutenac
Domaine de Mingraut, Fontcouverte
Château Montfin, Peyriac de Mer
Château Montrabech-Pitt, Lezignan
Château les Ollieux, Montseret
Château du Roc, Montbrun les Corbieres
Domaine de la Roche Vive, Narbonne
Domaine de Roquelongue, St-André de Roquelongue
Les Sabots d'Hèlène, Feuilla
Saint Auriol, Lézignan
Château Saint-Estève, Thézan des Corbieres
Domaine Serres Mazard, Talairan
Château Vaugelas, Camplong d'Aude
For: CORBIERES North West,
click HERE
CORBIERES North East, click HERE
CORBIERES South West, click HERE
CORBIERES South East, click HERE
Read a cool article about the
Corbieres http://www.article-content-king.com/article168909-Wines+from+the+Corbieres,Languedoc.html
Full page on the Wines from the Corbieres http://www.corbieresweb.com/-Wine-
Good stats about Corbieres Wines http://www.terroir-france.com/region/lr_corbieres.htm
Good review on Corbieres Wines http://www.midicanal.com/corbieres/
Cool article about Corbiere Wines http://www.ideamarketers.com/?Discover_Wines_from_the_Corbieres,Languedoc&articleid=328600
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