Duché d'Uzès AOP

To the north-west of the Costières de Nîmes is the very new Duché d'Uzès appellation and the surrounding Cévennes IGP. Rosé volumes are tiny, with just over 200,000 AOP bottles produced annually. Although it has only been around for a few years, it is already one we look out for, especially as value-for-money tends to be outstanding - vineyard land here is affordable but qualitative, with decent parcels going for under €20k/ha. Producers here are energetic and ambitious, with the syndicat producing excellent educational material on the appellation. Quality is somewhat higher for the reds and whites than the rosés, but big steps are being taken to rectify this. Producers here have a huge desire to push the rosés towards weightier, more gastronomic wines. This shows, with grapes harvested slightly later, leading to wines with a darker, more serious fruit profile. Acidity can be a little disappointing, but on the whole the area is extremely proud of the freshness it is able to instil in the wines. Although the eastern edges of the appellation are only a few kilometres from Tavel, the Duché d'Uzès has relatively little in common with much of the right bank. The climate is principally Mediterranean, with continental influences, relatively sheltered from the sea. Rainfall is quite high at 700mm annually, often in the form of violent storms known as ‘episodes cévenols', due to the cold weather from the Cévennes hitting the hotter Mediterranean air. Although the reds and whites favour Syrah and Viognier-dominant blends (accordingly drawing parallels with the northern Rhône), for rosés Grenache-majority blends are mandated, driving a stylistic wedge between the colours. Unusually, white grapes are not allowed in the blend and, even more unusually, direct press is the only permissible technique for AOP rosés. While Grenache dominates, 50/50 Grenache/Syrah is not uncommon, creating a somewhat distinctive secondary style of slightly darker, weightier, spicier rosés in which Syrah dominates. Syrah is still very present in IGP rosés, which are often also excellent and good value for money. These can be either the wider Pays d'Oc IGP or the more localised Cévennes IGP. There is a good variety of noteworthy estates, including the Domaine Reynaud, the Collines du Bourdic cooperative, the Domaine de la Tour de Gâtigne, the Domaine du Petit Oratoire, Terres d'Hachène, Les Vignes de l'Arque, and the Saint Dézéry cooperative.

Producers in Duché d'Uzès AOP

Wines in Duché d'Uzès AOP