Quarts de Chaume: yields

In November 2011 Quarts de Chaume became the Loire's first Grand Cru. 2010 is the first vintage that can use the term Grand Cru, providing they meet the conditions set out in the décret.

However, Jean and Florent Baumard (Domaine des Baumard) are mounting a legal challenge to its elevation to Grand Cru as well as to neighbouring Chaume being made Coteaux du Layon Premier Cru Chaume. 

Under the new Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru regulations the maximum permitted yield has been reduced from 25 hectolitres per hectare to 20 hl/ha with a minimum of 18% potential alcohol.  In the case of the vignes larges the maximum yield is only 80% of this ie a maximum of 18 hectolitres per hectare. Also each vine should have no more than 1.7 kilos of grapes or 2.5 kilos for the vignes larges.

Under the new regulations any practice that lowers the temperature of harvested grapes to lower than -5˚C is banned. However, there is a dérogation that permits the practice until 2019,  so it could not be used from the vintage of 2020. This would ban the use of cryoextraction/cryosélection, which the Baumard family favour.        

Part of resumé of the Baumard's case put to France's Supreme Court (Le Conseil d'Etat) as supplied by the INAO:

‘Cette disposition prohibe la cryosélection. Pour le requérant, sans la cryoselection il est impossible d’atteindre le niveau de rendement de 20hl/ha en même temps que le TAVN de 18% vol.’ 

Over the past decade (2000-2010) the average yield in the Quarts de Chaume has been 15.65 hl/ha. In order to flesh out in more detail typical yields in the Quarts de Chaume, I will be inviting all producers to let me have details of their yields over the past 10-15 vintages and will add details as they come in. 

Details of yields in the Quarts de Chaume:

Pierre Aguilas

Année	Volume(hl)	Superficie	Rendement
2011	34.0	1.7318	19.63
2010	26.0	1.7318	15.01
2009	17.0	1.7318	9.82
2008	13.0	1.3359	9.73
2007	32.0	1.7318	18.48
2006	36.0	1.7318	20.78
2005	38.0	1.7318	21.94
2004	21.7	1.7318	15.94
2003	28.0	1.7318	16.16
2002	18.2	1.4818	12.28
2001	20.0	1.4818	13.49
2000	15.0	0.8283	18.10
1999	8.0	0.8283	9.66
1998	6.5	0.3780	17.19
1997	7.3	0.3780	19.31

Vignobles Laffourcade
'Je confirme que ma récolte moyenne sur dix ans n'excède pas 15 Hl/ha , à condition d'exclure 2012 qui a été zéro. (les déclarations de récolte sont des documents publics et peuvent être consultés en mairie).' Pascal Laffourcade. 


Pithon-Paillé – surface de 0.22 ha

2012     rien
2011     4 hecto soit 18 hl/ha
2010     2  hecto soit 10 hl/ha

Declaration of Quarts de Chaume in 2012
Domaine des Baumard: 79 hls from 5.19 hectares – 15.22 hl/ha. Under the décret the permitted yield for les vignes larges is only 90% of the normal permitted yield, so 18 hl/ha. Harvested in two tris – 15th/16th October and 25th October.  
Château de Varière: 10hls from 1.25ha-1.30ha (verify precise area): at 1.25ha yield is 8 hl/ha, at 1.30ha it is 7.69. Harvested in one tri on 8th November.  
Pierre Aguilas: none declared
Patrick Baudouin: none declared
Château Bellerive: none declared ('not possible due to weather conditions': David Grellier) 
Domaine de la Bergerie: none declared
Domaine FL: none declared 
Vignobles Laffourcade: none declared
Château de la Mulonnière (Guy Saget): none declared 
Domaine du Petit Metris (Joseph Renou et fils): none declared 
Château Pierre-Bise:none declared
Pithon-Paillé: none declared 
Château de Plaisance (Guy Rochais): none declared
Château de Suronde: none declared