Cotes de Meuse is the IGP title given to wines made in certain parts of the Meuse administrative department of northeastern France. Despite the area’s location between the famous vineyards of Champagne and Alsace, the vineyards of Meuse are only responsible for a tiny amount of wine production, mostly based on Burgundy varieties such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Auxerrois.
© Wikimedia/Emmanuel Brunner
Meuse lies on the border of Belgium and Luxembourg at the high latitude of 49 degrees north, and consequently has a cool continental climate with cold winters and warm – not hot – summers. Growers in the Cotes de Meuse exploit the hilly topography of the region for viticulture, and vineyards tend to occupy south- and east-facing slopes around the river. Here, optimal sunshine exposure aids the ripening process, and the hills provide shelter from cold, rainy winds from the northwest.
The clay-limestone soils have sufficient water retention to keep vineyards hydrated throughout the growing season, although the natural slope of the vineyards helps drain excess water, ensuring the vines are not swamped, and excessive vigor is curbed.
The northerly location of the Cotes de Meuse vineyards means that the growing season is quite short, and so early-ripening varieties are favored. Fresh, uncomplicated white wines are made from Auxerrois and Chardonnay, while Pinot Noir and Gamay are used in the light, fruit-driven reds. The department itself is far more famous for craft beer than it is for wine – perhaps not surprising given its location next door to Belgium.
The Cotes de Meuse IGP was previously known as Vin de Pays des Cotes de Meuse until 2009, when the Vin de Pays classification began to disappear from bottles. The switch to Indication Géographique Protégée has brought French wine classification in line with that of the European Union, as well as improving the overall image of the wines.
