Monbazillac (wine region)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Monbazillac wine region in autumn. The first houses belong to the municipality of Monbazillac, behind is Saint-Laurent-des-Vignes and the city of Bergerac.

The Monbazillac wine-growing region is an enclave within the large Bergerac area in the Sud-Ouest wine-growing region in southwestern France. The area has enjoyed the status of an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC for short) since May 15, 1936 . The vineyards cover a maximum of 2,500 hectares of vines and are located in the approved municipalities of Colombier , Monbazillac , Pomport , Rouffignac-de-Sigoulès and Saint-Laurent-des-Vignes .

The Sud-Ouest wine-growing region

Wine

The very long-lived sweet wine is the Sauternes similar wines and to be of noble rot grapes of varieties Sémillon , Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle that must be harvested by hand, blended. The sugar content before alcoholic fermentation must be at least 246 g / l (→ must weight ). After fermentation, the wine must have a minimum alcohol content of 12.5 percent by volume , and the residual sugar content is usually 30–100 g / l.

The wines are called “taste d'or” if they have at least 15 percent alcohol by volume after fermentation and have matured for at least three years. Due to its sweetness, the Monbazillac can be enjoyed with a blue cheese such as the Bleu de Laqueuille or the Bleu de Bresse .

Provisions

Grape varieties

The Sémillon grape variety, attacked by the noble rot Botrytis cinerea.

The Sémillon variety is the leading grape in the region, accounting for 72% of the area under vines. It gives the wine fullness and sweetness. Sauvignon Blanc (15%) gives the white wine fruit and race, while Muscadelle (13%) gives the Monbazillac the light nutmeg bouquet. The percentages are of course different from winery to winery and can also vary slightly from vintage to vintage. In addition, the grape varieties Chenin Blanc , Ondenc and Ugni blanc can be grown. However, their share is limited to 10%.

Growing conditions

The minimum planting density is 4000 vines per hectare. The distance between the rows of vines must not exceed 2.5 meters. The distance between two vines within a row is at least 80 centimeters.

The yield limit is 40 hectoliters / hectare. As Cultivation of vines that apply Goblet -Education (the local astes is called) or the Guyot . The number of eyes left after the winter cut is max. 15. The height of the foliage wall is determined as a function of the distance between the rows. This guarantees a sufficiently large number of sheets.

The number of dead or missing vines within a vineyard should not exceed the 20% mark. The yield per hectare is reduced by the same percentage when this mark is exceeded. The irrigation of vines is prohibited.

Climate and soil

The region around Bergerac is subject to a strong oceanic influence with mild winters. Rainfall is particularly heavy in spring and late autumn. The summers, on the other hand, are mostly hot and dry. The weather is often stable well into November. Fog often forms in the Dordogne valley , favoring the development of noble rot .

On the orographic left bank of the Dordogne, freshwater limestone is embedded in molasse sand and marl . Together they form a real “layer cake”. With good drainage, it offers good conditions for the noble sweet white wines from Monbazillac and Saussignac .


Average monthly temperatures and rainfall for Bergerac
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Max. Temperature ( ° C ) 9.3 11.3 14.3 16.7 20.8 24.1 27.1 27.1 23.8 18.8 12.8 10.1 O 18.1
Min. Temperature (° C) 1.3 1.8 3 5.1 9.1 12.1 14.1 13.6 10.8 8.1 4.0 2.2 O 7.1
Precipitation ( mm ) 52 63 42 80 68 73 53 66 79 71 80 82 Σ 809
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
9.3
1.3
11.3
1.8
14.3
3
16.7
5.1
20.8
9.1
24.1
12.1
27.1
14.1
27.1
13.6
23.8
10.8
18.8
8.1
12.8
4.0
10.1
2.2
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
N
i
e
d
e
r
s
c
h
l
a
g 		52
63
42
80
68
73
53
66
79
71
80
82
  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Source: france.meteofrance.com

history

There were vineyards in this area as early as the 11th century. The wine became known from the 14th century. The export efforts reached their first high point in the 18th century, when Huguenots fled the Dordogne region to Holland after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes and for many years bought practically the entire harvest and imported it to Holland. Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand , a famous diplomat and statesman from the Périgord , had the Monbazillac served at the Congress of Vienna .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e specifications of the Monbazillac appellation on legifrance.gouv.fr , last page accessed on May 30, 2010.
  2. ↑ Summary of the regulations for the Monbazillac growing area on the INAO website
  3. ↑ Weather data Bergerac

literature