AOC/AOP Regulations
Département
- Bouches-du-Rhône
Communes of Production
- Les Baux-de-Provence, Fontvieille, Maussane-les-Alpilles, Mouriès, Paradou, Saint-Étienne-du-Grès, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Styles and Encépagement
- Blanc:
- Principal Varieties: Min. 60% combined Clairette, Grenache Blanc, and Vermentino (no single grape may exceed 90%)
- Complementary Variety: 10-30% Roussanne
- Accessory Varieties: Bourboulenc, Marsanne, and Ugni Blanc (the combined percentage of all accessory varieties may not exceed the amount of Roussanne)
- Rosé:
- Principal Varieties: Min. 60% combined Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah (no single grape may exceed 90%)
- Accessory Varieties: Max. 30% Carignan, Mourvèdre, and Counoise; max. 20% Cabernet Sauvignon; max. 10% white varieties
- Rouge:
- Principal Varieties: Min. 60% combined Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah (no single grape may exceed 90%)
- Accessory Varieties: Max. 30% Carignan, Cinsault, and Counoise; max. 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
Assemblage
- Blanc: per encépagement
- Rouge/Rosé: Min. 2 grapes, and principal varieties must account for at least 50% of the blend.
Minimum Potential Alcohol
- 11.5%
Minimum Must Weight
- Blanc/Rosé: 187 g/l
- Rouge: 198 g/l
Maximum Residual Sugar
- 4 g/l
Élevage
- Blanc: The wine may not be released until April 15 of the year following the harvest
- Rouge: The wines may not be released until October 1 of the year following the harvest
Minimum Planting Density
- 4,000 vines per hectare
Maximum Yield (Rendement de Base)
- 50 hl/ha
AOC Established
- The appellation was originally formed as VDQS Coteaux de Baux En Provence in 1956. In 1985 it became known as ‚Les Baux‘ an official subappellation of the Coteaux d’Aix en Provence AOP. The current AOP, Les Baux de Provence was created in 1995 (blanc wines added in 2011) (last updated 2011)
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