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Delphine Crouzet
Dreyfus, Ashby & Co. Main Office 630 3rd Ave Adminstration 50 Avon Meadow Lane |
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However Costières de Nimes is quite different from any appellation. First of all, because of the uniqueness of Camargue region. The soil is made there of round pebbles. Costières de Nimes predominantly produces red and rosé wine from Carignan grapes primarily and Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre and other typical Languedoc grape varieties. Costières de Nimes wines are usually fruity. Reds are rich, closer to Rhône wines than Languedoc . Rosé are light and dry, traditionally well balanced and delicate. Our vineyard is situated 15 Km south of Nîmes, in the Commune of Manduel, in the heart of the A.O.C. "Costières de Nîmes". Its principal characteristic is its soil formed of "gress"; rolled pebbles deposited by the Rhône river during the quaternary era. This soil allows the vine to develop in the best of conditions. Thanks to the filtering nature of the soil, the roots can easily reach the deep water sources necessary for its growth. The vine also benefits from the abundant Mediterranean sun which allows perfect maturity of the grape which is thus picked precociously. The average age of the vineyard is about 25 years. The red and rosé wines are composed mainly of the grape varieties Syrah and Grenache while the white wines are made from white Grenache and Roussane - a characteristic of the great vineyards of the Rhône Valley.
History of the AOC - http://www.vins-rhone.com/uk/home.asp The Rhone Valley , by its very nature, has always been the ideal route between the Mediterranean and northern Europe and the Atlantic . During the first century AD, the competition between Italy and the Rhone area of Gaul became fierce. It is around this time that the Gallo-Roman villa of Molard, at Donzère, was built, along with many of the region's amphora workshops. The Romans built the city of Vienne and then planted the Vienne vineyards, which soon developed a considerable renown. The Romans had to undertake huge double-digging projects to plant the vines before building the walls to protect the terraces. The very rugged slopes of the right bank appealed to the Romans - Côte Rôtie in Saint Joseph - who then went on to annex the left bank – Hermitage. They transformed the region into one of the most beautiful in Narbonnese Gaul. From the first century onwards, the area was at the forefront of commercial wine production, thanks to the Romans. In the 14th century, the Avignon Popes were supplied by the local wine producers. John XXII, the second of the seven Popes to be based in Avignon , had a castle built at Châteauneuf du Pape. His successor, Benedict XII, began the construction of the Papal Palace . The 17th and 18th centuries saw rapid progress in Rhone Valley wine production. In the 17th century, "Côte du Rhône" was the name of an administrative district in the Vicariate of Uzès (Gard), where the wines were particularly renowned. Regulations were introduced in 1650 to guarantee their origin and their quality. By an Edict of the King in 1737, all the casks that were to be used for carriage and sale had to be branded with the letters "C.D.R.". Then came the ultimate recognition, thanks to the endeavours of Baron Le Roy - man with courage and vision - with the creation in 1937 of an AOC - Appellation d’Origine Controlée - Côtes du Rhône. An A.O.C. classification is the acknowledgement both of a contemporary reality and a tradition that is comprised of a number of key elements: one or more varieties of vine, a clearly defined territory and superb expertise in wine production. The rules that guarantee the quality of AOC products are laid down by a national body, the I.N.A.O., which also regularly verifies that these products meet criteria based on: yields, territorial extension, grape varieties, cultivation methods and harvesting techniques. To be granted an AOC, a wine must also undergo analyses and, of course, tasting, to ensure its quality and that it maintains local characteristics. Richness and diversity of the land The climate is Mediterranean , its most striking feature being the mistral, the strong wind born of the difference in atmospheric pressure between the north and the south and that is so beneficial to the vines. The region's climate is characterised by its seasonality, with heavy rains, high temperatures and exceptional amounts of sunshine. The soil is the result of the combination of the vegetation and the climate over thousands of years. The Rhone has left a powerful mark on the whole of the sedimentary basin, carving out the relief and bringing alluvia that have created, from Vienne down to Avignon and the Cévennes, against the foothills of the Alps, a rich variety of soils. The grape varieties come originally from three different vine-growing regions. The Cinsault, Clairette and Bourboulenc are varieties that were first developed in the Mediterranean regions of France . The Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre came from provinces in Spain , brought in by travellers around two centuries ago. The Syrah, Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier are thought likely to have come from wild vines that grow in the forests of Dauphiné. From Vienne to Valence , the vineyards cover the right bank of the river through the départements of Rhône, Loire and Ardèche. On the left bank, they spread out over the steep slopes around Tain-l'Hermitage. This whole area is characterised by its granite soil and its moderate continental climate. From Livron to Montélimar, the vines give way to other crops. South of the Donzère Defile, the vineyards are back in force on both banks of the river, south of Montélimar. The major stretches of vines on the right bank in the départements of Ardèche and Gard are joined by similar areas on the left bank, between lower Drôme and southern Vaucluse. The soil here is limestone covered in alluvia. Grenache black Main features : an extremely vigorous and productive variety, but prone to rain damage (during flowering). Although there are variations depending on the area, flowering usually takes place between June 5th to 15th, and the grapes ripen between September 15th and October 10th. Grenache is wind resistant and extremely resistant to drought. Most red wines of southern Côtes du Rhône are Grenache based, as are some fruity rosé wines. Onological potential : high alcohol potential, low acidity, mellowness, round, fruity with spicy aromas. Use : Châteauneuf-du-Pape (more often than not 60 to 70%), Côtes du Rhône (40% minimum). Côtes du Rhône Villages (a maximum of 65% of regional grape varieties until December 31st 2004 , and a minimum of 50% from 2005). Syrah Onological potential : vivid in colour, resistant to oxidation, tannic and aromatic (raspberry, blackcurrant, violet, peppers). Mourvèdre Main features : of average productivity, this variety flowers between June 5 and June 15 and the grapes ripen from the beginning of October. Southern regions are preferable as it requires considerable warmth and light, particularly at the end of its ripening period. Although sensitive to wind, it requires small but regular amounts of water. Onological potential : Its tannins are ideal for red wines and the intensity and quality of its aromas increase with age. This variety has antioxidant properties, which have resulted in it being used to prolong the freshness and enrich the aroma of some rosés. Grenache white Main features : a vigorous variety with average ripening times (for other characteristics, see Grenache black). Roussanne Main features : of average vigour, this vine variety ripens in September. A delicate variety with considerable finesse, it prefers warm, stony well-drained soils, poor and arid hillsides, or stony, silt-limestone soils. Onological potential : Roussanne produces extremely elegant, delicate and complex wines with floral perfumes (honeysuckle and iris). Viognier Main features: a vigorous variety that ripens from the beginning of September onwards. It is a hardy vine that can grow in poor, dry and stony soils. |
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The appellation was previously called Costières du Gard before changing its name to Costières de Nimes in 1989. The vineyards cover the area between Nimes and the Petit Rhône, one of the rivers of the delta rim in Camargue. At the point where Languedoc meets Rhône. 
The typical characteristics of Côtes du Rhône wines are due to terroir and grape variety, which by no means underestimates the importance of the human touch for what concerns the Appellation's reputation and unique personality. 
Grape varieties
The Ancient Greeks used the Rhone to travel into the heart of Gaul to carry out trade. Wine production continued apace with the arrival of the Romans in 125 BC. 
It is the various climates, soils and grape varieties that make Côtes du Rhône wines so characteristic, but more than geographical unity, perhaps, it is the desire and labour of the winegrowers that have given the wines their real personality, and enabled the attribution of an AOC. 
Main features : a variety of great character with abundant vegetation. Although there are variations depending on the area and the year, flowering usually takes place between June 5th and 15th, and the grapes ripen between September 15th and October 10th (8 days before Grenache black in the South). This variety prefers a mild and consistent climate. Syrah is the only red variety used in the northern Côtes du Rhône Crus and, owing to its aromatic richness and deep colour, it is now increasingly used in southern Côtes du Rhône. 
