Alpes-Maritimes is an IGP title covering wines made in the administrative department of the same name in the southeast corner of France. The department is located in the very southern foothills of the Alps and, as such, is only home to a very small amount of viticulture. The only AOC-level appellation in Alpes-Maritimes is the little-known Bellet AOC, as well as a small outpost of the Cotes de Provence title.
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Most of the region’s vineyards are found in the strip of land that runs along the coast, particularly in the hills surrounding Nice. The rest of the topography in Alpes-Maritimes is not well suited to viticulture, reaching heights of more than 10,000ft (3000m) above sea level.
Despite the Provencal propensity toward rosé, the Alpes-Maritimes IGP is more commonly used for red wine, which makes up about half of all production. These are made from the local Braquet and Fuella Nera (Jurancon Noir) grape varieties alongside the more famous Grenache, Mourvedre and Cinsaut varieties. These varieties are also used in Alpes-Maritime IGP rosé, which makes up about 35 percent of production. The light, floral white wines of the IGP are often made from Vermentino (here called Rolle).
Vineyards in Alpes-Maritimes reach heights of up to 1300ft (400m) above sea level, where they receive influences from both the Mediterranean, to which they are exposed, and to cooling winds from the Alps to the north. This part of France is known for its high sunshine hours (giving rise to its rich tourism economy), and so cooling factors are essential in balancing the development of ripeness and acidity in the grapes. Coarse sandy soils and man-made terraces on the slopes help to temper the effects of the region’s moderate rainfall, draining water efficiently away from the vines.
The Alpes-Maritimes department was previously covered by the Vin de Pays des Alpes-Maritimes category. The Vin de Pays category has been phased out of French wine law since 2009, and has been replaced by Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP), which is more closely aligned with European Union wine labeling conventions.
