Ariege is the IGP title for wines made in the administrative department of the same name on the southern border of France. While the mountainous terrain and a challenging history have left the department almost bereft of vines in the 20th Century, a resurgence of viticulture has seen vineyard land grow considerably in the past 20 years.
The department is not home to any AOC appellations, although the vineyards of Limoux are close to the eastern border. Despite this, viticulture in Ariege dates back to Roman times and the department was covered in vines until the phylloxera louse devastated the French wine industry in the 1880s. The two World Wars that followed did not help the situation, and very few vineyards remained in the area until 1998, when a group of local growers secured an IGP title for the department. This is further appended with the Coteaux de la Leze and Coteaux du Plantaurel geographical indicators, which apply to wines made in certain small parts of the department.
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Ariege’s location on the edge of the Pyrenees means that the climate is transitional, ranging from a hot Mediterranean terroir in the lower-lying north to a cooler, more continental climate in the mountains. Many of the vineyards lie at higher altitudes where hot days are followed by cold nights. This diurnal temperature variation slows the ripening period, giving rise to well-balanced wines with a good concentration of flavors and acidity.
The winegrowing areas of the department lie mainly along the slopes that surround the Ariege river, where the limestone rock soils have provided a good base for viticulture. Rainfall is concentrated mainly in the spring, providing enough hydration for the vines for the entirety of the growing season.
Around three-quarters of Ariege’s wine production is red, and is made predominantly from international grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. White wines are also international, with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon dominating. More local varieties such as Courbu, Petit Manseng and Cot (Malbec) are also permitted in Ariege IGP wines.
The Ariege IGP was previously known as Vin de Pays d’Ariege, although since 2009 the Vin de Pays category has been gradually phased out of French wine law. It has been replaced by Indication Géographique Protégée, a classification which is more closely aligned with the labeling conventions of the European Union.
