Appellation
Minervois
Identity card
RegionalAOPRedWhiteRosé
Languedoc-Roussillon · Recognised on 15 February 1985
Key points
- At most 48 hl/ha and at least 12% natural alcohol, for all three colours.
- 45 communes in the Aude and 16 in the Hérault, below the Montagne Noire.
- The name comes from Minerve, a village on a rocky spur of the limestone causse.
Grape varieties
Red
Grenache NoirLledoner PelutMourvèdreSyrah
Accessory varieties: Carignan, Cinsaut, Piquepoul Noir (grape entry not yet written), Rivairenc (grape entry not yet written), Terret Noir
Carignan, Cinsaut, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, Syrah · at least 50% of the blend
At least 2 grapes incl. a principal; none of the five above 80%
Rosé
Grenache NoirLledoner PelutMourvèdreSyrah
Accessory varieties: Carignan, Cinsaut, Piquepoul Noir (grape entry not yet written), Rivairenc (grape entry not yet written), Terret Noir, Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Macabeu, Marsanne, Piquepoul Blanc, Roussanne, Terret Blanc, Vermentino
Carignan, Cinsaut, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, Syrah · at least 50% of the blend
White grapes: at most 10%; no grape above 80%
White
BourboulencGrenache BlancMacabeuMarsanneRoussanneVermentino
Accessory varieties: Clairette, Grenache Gris, Muscat à Petits Grains, Piquepoul Blanc, Terret Blanc, Viognier
Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc, Macabeu, Marsanne, Roussanne, Vermentino · at least 80% of the blend
Muscat à Petits Grains · 10% at most of the blend
Production rules
48
hl/ha
Maximum yield
12
% ABV
Minimum natural alcohol
4,000
vines/ha
Minimum planting density
- 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 129 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 14 % ABV across 79 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
- Minimum planting density
- The fewest vines allowed per hectare. For the same yield, more vines means fewer grapes on each. For reference: 4,000 vines/ha to 9,000 vines/ha across 136 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
Terroir
- Lie of the land: A south-facing amphitheatre backed by the Montagne Noire
- Soils: Stony terraces, marls, sandstone, hard limestone
- Climate: Mild, fairly dry Mediterranean; 630 mm a year; breezes, Cers
Wine style
Boundaries: INAO, AOC vineyard plot delimitation (September 2026 edition) · Open Licence
Specification
7 December 2020
Order of 7 December 2020 approving the specification of the AOP “Minervois” (JORF no. 0298 of 10 December 2020, text no. 54; published in the Bulletin officiel of the Ministry of Agriculture on 10 December 2020). This text repeals decree no. 2011-1546 of 14 November 2011. Appellation first recognised by the decree of 15 February 1985.
Labelling terms
- "Grand Vin du Languedoc" may appear on the label
- A registered lieu-dit may follow the appellation name
Nearby appellations
Sources
- Official sourceCahier des charges de l'appellation d'origine contrôlée « Minervois » (BO n° 50 du 10 décembre 2020)— Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO) / Ministère de l'agriculture
- Official sourceCahier des charges de l'appellation d'origine contrôlée « Minervois » (rouge)— Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO)
- Reference bookThe Oxford Companion to Wine— Oxford University Press
- Trade bodyVins du Languedoc — site officiel du Conseil interprofessionnel des vins IGP et AOC du Languedoc (CIVL)— Conseil interprofessionnel des vins IGP et AOC du Languedoc (CIVL)
A broad, south-facing amphitheatre backed by the Montagne Noire and sloping down towards the Aude, across 45 communes of the Aude and 16 of the Hérault. Minervois makes dry reds, rosés and whites. The principal grapes of the reds and rosés are Grenache, Lledoner Pelut, Mourvèdre and Syrah, with Carignan and Cinsaut as accessory grapes; the whites rest on Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc, Macabeu, Marsanne, Roussanne and Vermentino.
Mini-challenge
Minervois
3 questions on Minervois, all answered right, and the appellation is mastered in your Atlas.
Preparing the mini-challenge…