AOC/AOP Regulations

Département

  • Aude, Pyrénées-Orientales

Size

  • 3,505 ha

Styles and Encépagement

  • Vin Doux Naturel Grenat: 100% Grenache Noir
  • Vin Doux Naturel Ambré: 
    • Principal Varieties: Grenache (Blanc, Gris, and Noir), Tourbat (Malvoisie de Roussillon), Macabeu 
    • Accessory Varieties: Max. 20% combined Muscat à Petits Grains and Muscat d’Alexandrie (Muscat Romain)
  • Vin Doux Naturel Tuilé: As for Ambré.  
  • Vin Doux Naturel Rosé: As for Ambré
  • Vin Doux Naturel Hors d’Age (Tuilé or Ambré)
  • Vin Doux Naturel Rancio (Tuilé or Ambre)
  • Carignan and Syrah vines planted before 2002 may remain at a max. 10%

Assemblage

  • VDN Rosé: Max. 20% accessory varieties
  • VDN Ambré: Max. 20% accessory varieties
  • VDN Tuilé: Grenache Noir must be present.  Max. 20% accessory varieties.

Minimum Potential Alcohol

  • 21.5% (15% acquired)

Minimum Must Weight

  • 252 g/l

Minimum Residual Sugar

  • 45 g/l

Mutage

  • Min. 96° neutral alcohol in 5-10% proportion to wine

Élevage

  • Grenat: Wines must be aged in a reductive environment until at least May 1 of the year following the harvest, including at least 3 months in bottle.  Wines are bottled no later than June 30 of the second year after harvest.
  • Rosé: Wines must be bottled no later than December 31 of the year following the harvest.
  • Ambré and Tuilé: Wines must be aged in an oxidative environment until at least March 1 of the third year following the harvest.
  • Hors d’Age: Wines are aged until at least September 1 of the fifth year after harvest.

Minimum Planting Density

  • 4,000 vines per hectare

Maximum Yield (Rendement de Base)

  • 30 hl/ha

AOC Established

  • 1936 (last updated 2011)

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