Are the rules and regulations of the French appellations keeping pace with climate change?
At least Château Lafleur doesn’t think so, as from this vintage, 2025, it will leave the Pomerol appellation and sell its wines as vin de france, the lowest category, the one that was previously called table wine.
The reason is said to be that the chateau believes the rules for the appellation are preventing it from meeting the challenges posed by the climate crisis.
For example, they want to be able to irrigate regularly from spring onwards (currently only allowed during prolonged droughts), plant at a lower planting density (the rules require a minimum of 5,500 plants per hectare), and install permanent or temporary devices to shade the grapes.
I wonder what they will call their wine in the future. A vin de france cannot be sold with a name including “chateau” or “domaine” or similar since a vin de france, according to the rules, does not have a defined and controlled origin (other than France).
Read more: vitisphere
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