AOC Clairette de Bellegarde
A quite confidential white wine.
A small handful of winegrowers continue to grow this relatively unsung but highly expressive varietal.
The Clairette de Bellegarde vineyards lie at the gateway to the Camargue, halfway between Arles and Nîmes. The area clearly identifies with its Camargue neighbours – both are enthusiastic about bull-running – but in Bellegarde, they combine it with the Provençal lifestyle.
Clairette de Bellegarde is unusual among the southern Rhône appellations in that it makes its wine from one varietal only, Clairette. This is a relatively uncommon grape whose history and genetic pedigree have never been fully established. To enjoy a glass of Clairette de Bellegarde is to open the door to a tiny, secret vineyard at the heart of Terre d’Argence, and finding a unique, exceptional wine.
Informations
Climate: Mediterranean under the influence of sea breezes
Soils: Clay / Rocky / Rounded pebbles
Website appellation: https://www.costieres-nimes.org/
Key figures
Production surface area in 2023: 7 HA
Total production in 2023: 310 HL
Average annual yeld: 47 HL/HA
Recognition in AOC by the I.N.A.O.: 1949
Grape varieties
Clairette blanche
Clairette is one of the oldest grape varieties in the south of France. It is typically Mediterranean.
To know
History
The history of the Clairette de Bellegarde AOC vineyards dates back to the ancient Greeks who planted the vines, and to the Romans who played their part in developing them. Much later, local monastic communities – here the Abbey of St Romain – also had a hand in boosting viticulture in Terre d’Argence. The area is impacted by the presence of a number of inland waterways including the Rhône, the Petit Rhône, a series of streams and brooks, the Canal du Rhône in Sète and the Philippe Lamour canal.
Clairette de Bellegarde was awarded AOC status in 1949.
Climate
The climate in Clairette de Bellegarde is Mediterranean, influenced by the Mistral wind as it exits the Rhône corridor. Its proximity to the Camargue also adds the influence of Mediterranean sea breezes, blowing across the vineyards and protecting the vines and their fruit from the searing heat of summer.
Soils
The terroir is made up largely of rounded pebbles. The soils are rich in clay, while the pebbles are mainly flint (the top few metres of soil are 60% pebbles). Clairette thrives in these conditions, gathering enough strength to withstand the autumn storms.
Geography
The Clairette de Bellegarde appellation area lies across two terraces – Coste Red and Coste Canet – bordering the historic village of Bellegarde, alongside the Canal du Rhône à Sète. Both plateaus comprise a deep layer of Villefranchian pebbles and red clay over Pliocene sand and blue marl.
Varieties and flavours
Clairette de Bellegarde produces still, dry white wines made exclusively from Clairette grapes.
The vines were originally planted for their high yields, but have gradually adapted to their new home, delivering light, fresh wines with a saline edge and a delicious hint of bitterness.
Clairette is a robust, resistant grape which grows particularly well in the Bellegarde climate. This long-lived variety’s oldest parcels dating back to 1929.
When young, Clairette wines offer freshness and salinity, along with aromas of white flowers, broom and orchard fruit such as pears. As they mature, they become smoother and more rounded, developing flavours of honey and lime blossom.
Associated appellations