Appellation
Boutenac
Identity card
VillageAOPRed
Languedoc-Roussillon · Recognised on 20 May 2005
- Village
- Regional
Key points
- Red only; Carignan, Grenache and Mourvèdre: at least 70%
- At most 42 hl/ha, at least 13% natural alcohol
- Recognised in 2005 as "Corbières-Boutenac"
Grape varieties
Red wine only
Allowed varieties
CarignanGrenache NoirMourvèdreSyrah
Carignan, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre · at least 70% of the holding's vines
Carignan · at least 30% of the holding's vines
Carignan, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre · at least 70% of the blend
Carignan · at least 30% of the blend
At least two varieties; none above 80% of the blend
Production rules
42
hl/ha
Maximum yield
13
% ABV
Minimum natural alcohol
Minimum ageing: Until 31 December of the year after the harvest, incl. 2 months in bottle
- Maximum yield
- How much wine a hectare may produce under the appellation (a higher, exceptional ceiling often exists). The lower it is, the less can be made: one of the levers on how concentrated the grapes are. For reference: 35 hl/ha to 80 hl/ha across 90 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
- Minimum natural alcohol
- The alcohol the grapes' own sugar must be able to give, without enrichment: a ripeness threshold at harvest. For reference: 9 % ABV to 13 % ABV across 85 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
- Minimum ageing
- A minimum ageing period the specification requires before the wine may be sold to consumers.
Terroir
- Lie of the land: Low hills and ridges around the Pinada de Boutenac
- Soils: Mostly Miocene molasse, rolled pebbles, low fertility
- Climate: Mediterranean; rarely over 500 mm a year; the Cers wind
Wine style
- Red
- deep colour
- spice, ripe fruit
- powerful and warm
- rounded tannins
Boundaries: INAO, AOC vineyard plot delimitation (September 2026 edition) · Open Licence
Specification
2 September 2022
Order of 2 September 2022 approving the specification of the AOP “Boutenac” (JORF no. 0209 of 9 September 2022, text no. 16; published in the Bulletin officiel of the Ministry of Agriculture on 15 September 2022, BO no. 38). Appellation first recognised by the decree of 20 May 2005, under the name “Corbières-Boutenac”.
Labelling terms
- The larger geographical unit "Corbières" may appear
- A registered lieu-dit may follow the appellation name
Nearby appellations
Sources
- Official sourceCahier des charges de l'appellation d'origine protégée « Boutenac »— Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO) / Ministère de l'agriculture
In the middle of the Aude, between Carcassonne and Narbonne, Boutenac covers ten communes of the Corbières, set on low hills and ridges around the Pinada de Boutenac. The appellation makes red wine only, blended from at least two of Carignan, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, with Carignan making up at least 30%. The wines are aged at least until 31 December of the year after the harvest, including two months in bottle.
Mini-challenge
Boutenac
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