Years of debate ends with new Bourgogne Côte D’Or appellation
After years of wrangling, French authorities have finally approved a new regional appellation, Bourgogne Côte D’Or
The new appellation is a geographical area of around 1,000 ha, covering Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune regions. Not only will the new appellation introduce stricter wine production rules than the existing Burgundy regulations, but it will also provide guarantees regarding the provenance of wines.
“I will be using the new appellation for wine made from this forthcoming harvest,”Phillipe Charlopin, an independent producer in Gevry Chambertin who has been battling for 20 years to see the creation of the new appellation told Harpers.
“It ensures that reds are made 100% from Pinot Noir and not blended with Gamay, and that whites are made entirely from 100% Chardonnay.”
The existing Burgundy AOC covers a large area of Burgundy stretching to Beaujolais, but the new appellation outlines a specifc geographical area with stricter rules regarding density, yields and higher minimum alcohol levels. The approval of the Bourgogne Côte D’Or ends years of political fighting between French authorities including the Côte D’Or, administrative department. The governing body, the INAO, had formerly been reluctant to approve appellations which are not strictly based on terroir.
Under the new rules, minimum vineyard density will be 9.000 vines per hectare instead of 5,000 for the generic Burgundy AOC. Yields will be set at 66 hectolitres per hectare for whites an at 58hl for reds, compared to 68hl and 60hl respectively for AOC Burgundy. The minimum level of alcohol will be 11 for white and 10.5 for red, instead of 10.5 and 10.2 for AOC Burgundy.
The Burgundy trade body, Union des Maisons de Vins de Bourgongne (UMVB) said that producers using the new appellation would position themselves independently in the market regarding price.
Meanwhile Charlopin dismissed concerns that the new appellation could lead to price increases, saying that prices in Burgundy are already high.