François Chidaine and Jacky Blot
with their 'Vin de France Vouvrays'
It
is very interesting to see the Conseil d'Etat's decision to annul the
obligation in the Pomerol appellation décret to only allow producers to vinify and mature Pomerol
wines within the demarcated zone of the Pomerol appellation. The Conseil
decided that Pomerol had not justified excluding those Pomerol producers who
have vines within the appellation but vinify in a neighbouring commune. The
Conseil ruled that it was wrong to disadvantage producers who do not have
winemaking facilities within the small appellation of Pomerol.
The ruling by the Conseil d'Etat:
Taken from the site (Chroniques Vineuses) of Hervé Lalau, one of members of our cooperative blog – Les 5 du Vin.
'C'est la troisième fois en 6 ans que le Conseil d'Etat annule cette modification du cahier des charges, qui a déjà connu plusieurs moutures.'
The ruling by the Conseil d'Etat:
Taken from the site (Chroniques Vineuses) of Hervé Lalau, one of members of our cooperative blog – Les 5 du Vin.
Pour le Conseil, "le cahier des charges de l'AOC " Pomerol ", qui ne
comporte aucun élément de nature à justifier la nécessité de localiser les
opérations de vinification, d'élaboration et d'élevage à l'intérieur de l'aire
géographique de production, se borne à exiger, dans son chapitre IX intitulé
" Transformation, élaboration, élevage, conditionnement et stockage
", que la vinification s'effectue " conformément aux usages locaux,
loyaux et constants " et ne mentionne, dans ses développements consacrés
au " lien à l'origine ", que les facteurs naturels et techniques de conduite
de la vigne".
De plus, "les requérants ont pu, pendant des décennies, réaliser leurs
opérations de vinification, d'élaboration et d'élevage en dehors de l'aire
géographique de production de l'AOC " Pomerol " tout en
bénéficiant de cette appellation. Par ailleurs, il ne ressort ni des pièces du
dossier ni de l'argumentation développée par le ministre de l'agriculture, de
l'agro-alimentaire et de la forêt, l'Institut national de l'origine et de la
qualité et le Syndicat agricole et viticole de Pomerol que la
localisation de chais comme ceux des requérants, à proximité immédiate de la
zone géographique de production, et les opérations de transport de raisin
qu'elle implique soient de nature à porter atteinte à la qualité et aux
caractéristiques propres aux vins de l'AOC " Pomerol ".
Toujours selon le Conseil d'Etat, "Compte tenu de l'ensemble de ces circonstances, en tant qu'il
homologue une modification du cahier des charges de l'AOC " Pomerol " qui ne
prévoit la délimitation d'aucune zone de proximité immédiate et exclut donc du
bénéfice de cette appellation tous les producteurs qui ne procèdent pas aux
opérations de vinification, d'élaboration et d'élevage à l'intérieur de l'aire
géographique de production, le décret attaqué est entaché d'une erreur
d'appréciation.
Dès
lors et sans qu'il soit besoin d'examiner les autres moyens de leur requête, la
SCEA Château Siaurac et autres sont fondés à demander l'annulation du décret
attaqué en tant qu'il homologue une modification du cahier des charges de l'AOC
" Pomerol " s'abstenant de
procéder à la délimitation d'une zone de proximité immédiate au titre de cette
appellation".
'C'est la troisième fois en 6 ans que le Conseil d'Etat annule cette modification du cahier des charges, qui a déjà connu plusieurs moutures.'
Does
this ruling create a precedent in the case of Jacky Blot and François Chidaine
being banned by the INAO from making Vouvray in the neighbouring commune of Montlouis.
I am not aware of any proper justification for the ban in the Vouvray décret.
Indeed when I spoke to Philippe Brisebarre he was keen to stress that he would
really like to find a solution but that despite the best efforts of the INAO
lawyers in Paris no solution could be found because the Loire is a barrier.....
These four maps indicate very clearly that in several places that there are land boundaries between Montlouis and those of Vouvray and Vernou, so Philippe Brisebarre was incorrect to say in 2015 that the Loire was a barrier between Vouvray and Montlouis. The Loire is not an administrative barrier to either Vernou or Vouvray as the boundaries of both communes straddle the Loire.
Boundary of the commune of Vouvray
(above and below)
Boundary of commune of Montlouis
The southern boundary of Vernou,
the commune adjacent to Vouvray,
showing land boundaries with Montlouis
These four maps indicate very clearly that in several places that there are land boundaries between Montlouis and those of Vouvray and Vernou, so Philippe Brisebarre was incorrect to say in 2015 that the Loire was a barrier between Vouvray and Montlouis. The Loire is not an administrative barrier to either Vernou or Vouvray as the boundaries of both communes straddle the Loire.
Brisebarre
offered no justification, apart from replying on the Loire being a 'barrier', for the banning the vinification of Vouvray in
Montlouis. He did explain that the only exception to vinifying within the boundaries of the
Vouvray appellation is the commune of Nazelles-Négron just to the north of
Amboise.
I
remain astonished that the doubtless well-paid lawyers employed by the INAO
were not aware that the communes of both Vouvray and Vernou actually straddle the
Loire and physically touch the boundary of the commune of Montlouis.
I
am surprised that Blot and Chidaine have not taken this ban to the Conseil
d'Etat, as I think it highly likely that the Conseil would rule in their
favour. It may be, of course, that as both Jacky and François are able to
easily sell all the 'Vouvray' they make under the Vin de France label it isn't worth
the time and expense of going to the Conseil.
Given the Pomerol ruling by the Conseil d'Etat perhaps the INAO would just throw in the towel and not contest any challenge to the ban on vinifying Vouvray in the commune of Montlouis?
However, the ban is also a good story that sets their 'Vouvrays' apart. At the recent Charles Sydney Wines Ltd tasting in London I was asked at least twice why Jacky Blot's wine was Vin de France and not Vouvray.
Given the Pomerol ruling by the Conseil d'Etat perhaps the INAO would just throw in the towel and not contest any challenge to the ban on vinifying Vouvray in the commune of Montlouis?
However, the ban is also a good story that sets their 'Vouvrays' apart. At the recent Charles Sydney Wines Ltd tasting in London I was asked at least twice why Jacky Blot's wine was Vin de France and not Vouvray.
Furthermore Jacky and François may also feel that appellation Vouvray is so diminished by their absence
that Vin de France is now more prestigious option than appellation Vouvray ….
(Back in 2015 I posted a detailed look at this dispute on Les 5 du Vin. See here.
(Back in 2015 I posted a detailed look at this dispute on Les 5 du Vin. See here.
