© Wikimedia/Carroy
Cotes de la Charite is an IGP title for wines made on the banks of the river in the Loire Valley wine region of France. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the most-planted grape varieties here, despite the famed wine villages of Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire lying just to the north, both heavily associated with Sauvignon Blanc.
The vineyards cover a range of low forested hills on the very western edge of the Nievre department, where the Loire river makes up the border with neighboring Cher. While the official IGP zone covers 18 villages that reach as far west as the banks of the Loire itself, most of the vineyards lie on the eastern side of the hills, where south-facing slopes provide viticultural potential in the otherwise flat topography.
This is important given the region's cool continental climate, because increased sunlight exposure in these vineyards provides better ripening opportunities despite the low temperatures. However, grapes still struggle to ripen in cooler vintages – a contributing factor to the wines' IGP status rather than a more demanding AOC.
The vineyards of the Cotes de la Charite have similar limestone-based soils as in Sancerre, although these are more clayey and less stony, particularly in areas closer to the river. Nevertheless, the vineyards benefit from good drainage, which concentrates flavors in the grapes, and the rapid heating of the soils during the day keeps vines warm at night, aiding ripening.
The Cotes de la Charite IGP has replaced the previous Vin de Pays des Coteaux Charitois denomination. The Vin de Pays category has been periodically removed from French wine law since 2009, and has been replaced with Indication Géographique Protégée.
