Cevennes is the IGP title that covers wines from the northern half of the Gard administrative department of southern France. The mountainous area has scattered vineyards interspersed with chestnut crops and mountain sides, a far cry from the carpet of grapevines found on the Languedoc’s coastal plain. It is otherwise free of appellations, but the Costieres de Nimes AOC lies to the southeast, and the catchment area of the Cotes du Rhone is on the northeastern border.
© Wikimedia/Marek Ślusarczyk
Generally, the mountains enjoy a Mediterranean climate that is cooled by more moderate winds from the northwest, providing mesoclimates that are suitable for viticulture. However, the area is prone to rainstorms caused by the collision of winds from the cold north and the warmer Mediterranean, so most vineyards are planted on slopes where there is enough natural drainage to ensure the vines are not swamped or flooded. Here, excellent exposure to sunlight and the prevailing winds help grapes reach optimal ripeness.
There is a long list of permitted grape varieties in Cevennes IGP wines, although the classic Mediterranean varieties Syrah, Grenache and Carignan predominate. They are often blended with more international varieties such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, particularly as winemaking techniques have improved over the last 40 years. The region’s white wines betray their location near the Rhone wine region: Viognier is often used, along with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
The Cevennes IGP has recently replaced the previous Vin de Pays des Cevennes denomination. This change is part of a larger reform in French wine law: from 2009, the Vin de Pays category has been phased out in favor of Indication Géographique Protégée, which more closely resembles the labeling standards of the European Union.
