Three appellations for the same vineyards! In fact the vineyards bring together AOC Cognac and Pineau des Charentes as well as IGP Charentais wines.
Let’s discover these appellations and their savoir-faire.
It’s also an opportunity to discover what makes them distinctive (terroirs and grape varieties) but also the methods used for more virtuous environmental practices.
First white vineyard in France
The vineyards extend over the two Charentes départements and a few communes of the Dordogne and Deux-Sèvres.
As far as cognac is concerned, the area of production, traversed by the Charente, is divided into 6 crus that are reference points for different appellations :
- Grande Champagne (more than 13,200 ha) ;
- Petite Champagne (more than 15,200 ha) ;
- Borderies (4,000 ha);
- Fins Bois (31,200 ha) ;
- Bons Bois (9,300 ha) ;
- Bois ordinaires ou Bois à terroir (less than 1,000 ha) ;
The vineyards though the seasons
In each season, the vineyards are adorned in different colours: in winter the frost turns the branches white, in spring it’s a soft green that dominates.
In the summer, it’s the effect of the brilliant blue of the sky that makes such a contrast on the rows of vines. Then lastly the golden nuances of autumn as the leaves begin to redden, announcing the period of harvest. The time has come for the winemakers to harvest the fruit of a year’s work.