Urfe is an IGP title for red, rosé and white wines produced in an area just west of Lyon in eastern France. The official vineyard zone covers the eastern slopes of the Monts de la Madeleine, a range of hills within the Massif Central mountain range which covers a large area of southern France. Urfe shares its geographical location with the lesser-known Cotes de Forez and Cote Roannaise AOC appellations, and is found just over the hills from the famous vineyards of Beaujolais.
The permitted vineyard zone of the appellation is found in the northern half of the Loire department which, confusingly, is hundreds of miles upriver from the Loire Valley wine region. Urfe instead takes viticultural influence from its closer neighbors of Burgundy and the Rhone Valley, which is reflected in the IGP’s permitted grape varieties: Chardonnay, Viognier and Roussanne for white wines, and Pinot Noir, Syrah and Gamay for reds and roses.
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The continental climate in the Urfe vineyard area is moderated considerably by the hilly topography of the surrounding land. The Monts de la Madeleine shield vineyards from cold, rainy weather systems from the Atlantic in the west, and also provide a foehn wind which brings warm, dry air into the vineyards. This helps to reduce disease pressure as well as aiding ripening.
The cool climate is further moderated by the volcanic soils that cover the area. These coarse, sandy soils, made from both basalt and granite, warm quickly during the day and reflect heat back onto the vines during the evening, insulating them against cold air. Excellent drainage also helps to draw water away from the root systems of the plant, increasing the concentration of sugars in the grapes.
The Urfe IGP has two further geographical classifications: wines from the village of Ambierle, and from an area surrounding the village of Trelins may append these names to the IGP on the label. Most wines made with the Urfe IGP appellation are red or rosé, with just a small proportion of white wines produced. The light, fruit-driven red wines produced in this part of France usually bear a striking similarity to those made just over the hills in Beaujolais.
The Urfe IGP replaces the previous Vin de Pays d’Urfe denomination, as the Vin de Pays category has been replaced with Indication Géographique Protégée. This brings French wine-labeling conventions more in line with those of the wider European Union.
