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AOC Vinsobres

History

1898 "Syndicat de l’Union des agriculteurs de Vinsobres" is establised. Note the word "agriculteurs" and not "vignerons".
The main crop at that time was not wine even though some wine were produced.

1937 AOC Cotes du Rhone is created.

1957 "Comité des Vignerons de Vinsobres" is founded. The backgruond was that wines from that year was part of a new appellation, Cotes du Rhone Village.
The winter before was very hard and nearly all olive trees in Provence were destroyed - 90%. The farmers of Vinsobres discovered, that the fields with wine survived and as it would take many years to raise the olive production again this winter was essential for the raise in vine growing, not only in Vinsobres but also in many other parts of Provence, and that is the reason why many of the best fields today has an age of about 50 years.

1967 The wines from Vinsobres became Cotes du Rhone Village Vinsobres.

2005 AOC Vinsobres is created (Final decret dated 15. February 2006)

Rules for the new appellation (selected details)

Production area

Only wine from the commune Vinsobres has the right to the name. Map showing the fields of Vinsobres

Type of wines

Only red wines.
(Cotes du Rhone Village Vinsobres can be made until vintage 2004. After that vintage red wines from areas in Vinsobres outsite the new appellation will be Cotes du Rhone. Rosé- and white-wines from Vinsobres will in the future be Cotes du Rhone Village).

Allowed grapes

Grenache is obligatory in the blend with a percentage of at least 50.
The part of Syrah and/or Mourvedre must be at least 25% of the blend.
Other grapes allowed for Cotes du Rhone can be used to an extend of 25%, also white varieties can be used but not for more than 5%.

Until 2016 the minimum part of Syrah and/or Mourvedre is only 20% of the blend.

Yield

Basic output: 38 hl/ha.

Alcohol percent:

At least 12,5

Declared area and yield 2006-2010

Producers

About 72% of the production is vinified by the cooperative La Vinsobraise.
The rest is vinified by less than 20 producers and bottled at their domains or sold to negociants.
A total of 94 producers declared production of Cotes du Rhone Village Vinsobres after the harvest of 2004.

Topography

Vinsobres Commune has a total area of 3.245 ha. The altitude is from 184 m (the river Eygues) to 520 (the hills to the North of the town).
This difference in altitude within such a small area means that a big part of the commune is quite sloping areas where terraces are needed to grow the vines. 
The slopes are oriented from the North-west to South-east. On these slopes are the parcels included in the new appellation Vinsobres.
Vines grown off the slopes will in the future be Cotes du Rhone (Cotes du Rhone Village does not include Vinsobres any more).

The grapes of Vinsobres today

According to Comité des Vignerons de Vinsobres the vineyards today are planted with the following varieties (only red varieties)

In order to meet the rules about a minimum of 25% of Syrah/Mourvedre it's obviously which varieties are to be planted through the coming years.

Vinsobres Commune 

The commune has about 1.100 inhabitants
Mayor: Serge Cornud (2001-2008)
The Commune is a part the departement Drôme.
As the Southern area of Drôme is regarded as a part of Provençe, it's called Drôme Provençale.

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Update 19-10-2011