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PRESS PACK GRÉS DE MONTPELLIE R AOC LANGUEDOC N ITIO 17 ED 20 16/ 20 Syndicat AOC Languedoc Grés de Montpellier Mas de Saporta, CS 30 030 - 34973 Lattes Cedex Tél. + 33 (0)4 67 06 04 44 - Fax + 33 (0)4 67 58 05 15 www.gres-de-montpellier.com Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins du Languedoc 6, place des Jacobins - BP 221 - 11102 Narbonne Cedex Tél. + 33 (0)4 68 90 38 30 - Fax + 33 (0)4 68 32 38 00 www.languedoc-wines.com Contacts Presse : Clair de Lune - Amélie Bluma et Marion Delemontex 12 rue Saint-Polycarpe - 69001 Lyon Tél. 33(0) 4 72 07 31 90 - Fax 33(0) 4 72 07 31 91 amé[email protected] - [email protected] www.clairdelune.fr Environment and area Recognized as AOC Languedoc-Grés de Montellier in 2003* the zone groups AOC registered vineyards in Montpellier and its surrounding area. Together with la Clape it is one of the AOC Languedoc vineyards most affected by the Mediterranean. Covering 46 communes, the marine influence is the common link between them all. The vine producing areas are hilly ("coteau"), at moderate altitudes (100-200 metres), and frequently covered by the pebbles or shingle which give their Occitan name "grés" to the terroir. * 11 March 2003 decree amending that of 24 December 1985. At the doors of Montpellier, bounded on the west by the Hérault valley, the Pic Saint-Loup region to the n orth, the Vidourle valley in the east and the coast to the south, the Grés de Montpellier vineyards are protected from northern influences by the Black Mountain and the Cévennes. A dry climate refreshed by damp summer sea breezes encourages early maturity and a well balanced vegetation cycle. 1 Quissac 7 Gailhan de-Buèges E Saint-Maurice-Navacelles Lecques Vacquières D Lauret 3 D 5 9 Saint-Jean- Sauteyrargues 7 Fontanès 1 de-Buèges D 5 2 D Pégairolles- 6 8 9 Causse- de-Buèges D Garrigues Saint-Pierre-de-la-Fage de-la-Selle Saint-Martin-de- D 4 Londres Sommières 0 0 Campagne 1 1 25 Saint-Mathieu- Saint-Bauzille- bès D de-Montmel N de-Tréviers Boisseron Saint-Étienne- de-Gourjas Saint-Privat Saint-Drézéry Beaulieu Guzargues Saint-Seriès Saint- Saint-Jean-de- D 32 Restinclières Christol sclas-du-Bosc Saint-Vincent-de- Saturargues la-Blaquière Vérargues Barbeyrargues Arboras Sussargues Le Bosc Saint-Clément- de-Rivière Assas Saint-Geniès- Prades-le-Lez D des-Mourgues Lunel-Viel Lunel N Combaillaux 1 9 7 5 Castries D Vailhauquès 9 9 Saint-André- 8 A 6 5 D 6 1 3 6 1 de-Sangonis N 1 D ac d u Gignac Salagou 9 Castelnau-le-Lez A D 908 Saint-Aunès N 7 Clermont- 5 l'Hérault 32 D 109 Mauguio N Saint-Georges-d'Orques Juvignac D Saint-Bauzille- Aumelas 2 de-la Sylve Murviel- 5 D r 1 lès-Montpellier O D 6 l' 6 u de Lavérune io o augu M Vendémian Pignan de s ang MONTPELLIER Ét ète D ne à S 5 Rhô D al du Can Plaissan Cournonterral Étang La Grande-Motte 7 de Méjean 9 Cournonsec D Saint-Pargoire Villeneuve- 9 les-Maguelonne 2 3 3 1 N D Montbazin 1 D 2 N Saint-Pons- 12 9 1 de-Mauchiens A N Villeveyrac Montagnac Poussan GOLFE DU LION A 9 N 113 Pézenas D 129 D 2 MER Mèze 3 1 D Montblanc U A H MÉDITERRANÉE 18 T D D 18 E D Sète IN S S A B 2 A 9 11 Bessan Marseillan N Key figures - Area under production : 12 000 hectares ofwhich 1 000 are classified AOC Languedoc – Grés de Montpellier - Production zones : 46 communes (Assas, Aumelas, Beaulieu, Boisseron, Campagne, Castelnau-le-Lez, Castries, Combaillaux, Cournonsec, Cournonterral, Garrigues, Gignac (pour partie), Guzargues, Juvignac, Lavèrune, Lunel, Lunel-Viel, Mauguio, Montagnac, Montbazin, Montpellier, Murviel-lès-Montpellier, Pignan, Plaissan, Poussan, Prades-le-Lez, Restinclières, Saturargues, Saint-Aunès, Saint-Bauzille-de-la-Sylve, Saint-Bauzille-de-Montmel, Saint-Christol, Saint-Clément, Saint-Drézéry, Saint-Genies-des-Mourgues, Saint-Georges-d’Orques, Saint- Pargoire, Saint-Pons-de-Mauchiens, Saint-Séries, Saint-Vincent-de-Barbeyrargues, Sussargues, Vailhauques, Vendémian, Vérargues, Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone, Villeveyrac). - Number of producers : 48 independent producers 5 caves coopératives - Annual production : 80 726 hectolitres, of which 5 000 hectolitres classified AOC Languedoc-Grés de Montpellier. - Maximum yield : 45 hl/ha - Colours : red wines only - Trade : almost exclusively sold in bottles www.gres-de-montpellier.com Vines since V century BCE The history of wine around Montpellier dates from V BCE. The Romans were the first to develop commercial wine production. Since 2003, the Grés de Montpellier has been recognized as AOC Languedoc-Grés de Montpellier * The zone groups registered vineyards in Montpellier and its surrounding area. * 11 March 2003 decree amending that of 24 December 1985. There have been vines around Montpellier since V BCE. Grape seeds have been dug up in what must have been the cellar of a house in the commune of Lattes near Montpellier. The Romans started commercial vine growing, selling wine throughout the Empire, in an area that stretched right along the Dominitien Way, crossing the Lez at Castelnau and the Vidourle at Ambrussum. "Benedictine Law" What became known as the "Benedictine Law" was established by St Benedict of Nuncia in Italy's "Monte Cassino" in VI CE, then revised and applied throughout the Carolingien empire by Witiza, son of the Count of Maguelonne, who was born at Substancio (Castelnau le Lez) and became known throughout history as Saint Benedict of Aniane. He founded numerous abbeys throughout Carolingien Europe and the Languedoc, the earliest being the Abbey of Aniane. Monks were required to own their own vineyards, providing drink for the monks and converts, as well as for travellers who were put up in the premises. Traditions stemming from Greek-Roman days were maintained and developed by the Benedictines who promoted the health giving qualities of wine. Wine sales provided an important source of income for the Abbots who were known as "Pater Vinéarum". Thus an historic personality born in the Grés de Montpellier was originator of numerous vineyards and of an organisational philosophy based on written rules, which also moderated the theory of absolute authority. The influence of Cistercians and professors of medicine In 1138 the Cistercians founded the Abbaye of Valmagne on a superb site near the plateau of Aumelas in the commune of Villeveyrac. The magnificent vineyard is there to this day. A little later, in 1149, the Knights Hospitalier also contributed to Montpellier's wine based prosperity by planting such historic vineyards as those of La Méjanelle, Saint-Christol and Saint-Georges d’Orques. As for the professors of medicine, they contributed in their own way to viticutural progress. The doctor- chemist, Arnaud de Villeneuve (XIV CE) and later the natural medical authority, Edward Adams (XVII CE) created and improved still alcohol and wine based spirits. Whilst a medical student at Montpellier, Rabelais developed herb based wines at Grammont, the Méjanelle and Saint- Georges-d’Orques which he launched at Pantagruel. Much sought after wines In 1729, the Chamber of Commerce, founded in 1704 by the Languedoc administration, laid down the first regulations covering wines and spirits, together with quality control checks on wines, alcohol and barrels. Casks were to be marked with the Languedoc cross by the consuls of the Parish. In 1788, Sète exported 170 000 barrels of wine and 80 000 barrels of spirits. Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of the USA and Ambassador to Paris from 1785 – 1789, came to Montpellier for medical treatment. Whilst there he discovered the wines which were to fill his cellars throughout his time as President of the USA. Montpellier, capital of wine Many XIV and XVII century wine chateaux are dotted around Montpellier. Outstanding ones, still making a mark on the reputation of Languedoc wines are the Château of Flaugergues the Château of L’Engarran, the Château of Beaulieu, the Château of Saint-Sériès, th Châteaud'Assas, the Château of la Devèze and that of the Grès Saint Paul at Vérargues. According to historian Gilbert Garrier of Lyon University, 'the most sought after wines in France were those from Montpellier'. And, in the XIX century when phyloxera was ravaging French vineyards, it was agronomic research in Montpellier that discovered methods of fighting the aphid. Nowadays, thanks to the Agropolis centre which makes it the world’s second largest agronomic grouping, Montpellier is once again a shining beacon in agriculture, viticulture and the international farm produce industry. Since the Middle Ages, the story of Château d'Assas, its land and its wines has been recorded in history books. On 30 June 1483, Saint Martial day, Rostang VII, the Seigneur of Assas, proclaimed in public and in the language of the country that from then on, Assas wines would be sold ' En las mesuras antiquas et ségnadas dals Segnors'. 1993 : Birth of the Syndicat des Grés de Montpellier The Syndicat des Grés de Montpellier was only formed in 1993. It must be admitted that the name Montpellier did not appear when the 1950 VDQS (Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure) regulations promoted many Languedoc areas into AOC zones. But later action by its members was successful. Since 1997, Grés de Montpellier producers have accepted the tight regulations (yield, grape variety selection, vine maturity, longer maturing etc). Result : on 11 May 2003, the Grés de Montpellier terroir was recognized as AOC Languedoc-Grés de Montpellier by decree*. It covers 46 communes around Montpellier. * Decree of 11 March 2003, modifying that of 24 December 1985.

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