AOC Tavel

History
Vestiges from a gallo-roman villa from 2^nd century is the oldest evidence of wine growing in Tavel. 
1636: Land register tells about wine growing of a certain scale.
1716: Administrative archives tell about local wine "cru de Tavel".
1902: A Syndicat of wine growers is founded.
1926: Rules for the local wines is created as the first step of being an appellation, adviced by Baron Le Roy from Chateauneuf du Pape.
1936: AOC Tavel is among the earliest established appellations in France.

Tavel commune covers 19,96 km2, or 1996 ha. by which the vineyards of AOC Tavel count for 960 ha.

Rules for the appellation
Tavel Rosé can only be made from fields in Tavel commune - and a few parcels in Roquemaure.
The area inside the limits of the appellation is 960 ha. (2005: 39.082 hl. from 938 ha.)
Allowed grape varieties: Grenache, Cinsault (min. 15%), Syrah, Mourvedre, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Picpoul, Carignan (max. 10%) and Calitor (very rare). No varietiy must count for more than 60% of the vines.
Max. yield: 46 hl/ha.
Min. alcohol percent: 11.

Vinification
Normally the wines are made with a short maceration period - 12-36 hours.
In such a short period only a small amount of colour and punch will be extracted from the skin.
Only a few producers use ageing in wood -  maybe for a special cuvée.
The wines are normally bottled a few months after the harvest and most of them are meant to be drunk young.

Producers
45% of the production is vinified by co-operatives and 55% by private producers - about 35. Some of the private producers sell a part of the wine to negociants.
Most of the producers have fields in Lirac and/or Cotes du Rhone. Only a few producers only makes  Tavel Rosé.

Declared area and yield 2006-2010

Vinbroderskabet, Commanderie de Tavel
http://caveausaintvincenttavel.unblog.fr/commanderie-de-tavel
Programmes for activities and some photos can be seen on the blog from Caveau Saint Vincent.

Commanderie de Tavel

Caveau Saint Vincent
A wine shop selling wines from most of the producers in Tavel.
http://caveausaintvincenttavel.unblog.fr/

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Richard Maby Domaine Maby
er præsident for Syndikatet i Tavel

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