Questions Uncorked

Mar 17, 2009

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for stopping by the blog with your question. Your question is an interesting one. You are correct in that the only wines allowed to use the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (A.O.C.) Tavel are dry Rosé wines. Archeologists believe that winemaking in Tavel, which is in the Southern Rhône, dates back to before the second century AD, when the Romans occupied the region. The rose colored wines of Tavel were particularly well-known in the Middle Ages, as they were a favorite of King Philippe le Bel and the popes who resided at Avignon. In the 18th century, they were drunk by Louis XIV and in the 19th century, praised by writers such as Balzac and Frédéric Mistral.

When the A.O.C. laws were first being introduced in France, Tavel was one of the earliest regions to adopt the system, establishing the AOC Tavel in 1936. At that time, the laws were written that the AOC Tavel could only be used for Rosé wines from the region that were made from a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Picpoul, and Carignan. Many will tell you that it is the long history of the region, the unique combination of these grapes, the warm climate, the lengthy growing season and the stony soil that have all come together to create an appellation that is only allowed to produce Rosé wines.

I will also add that the AOC laws in France are not just a random assortment of suggestions for wine production. Rather, wine growers will tell you that they are laws that have been put into effect because of hundreds of years of trial and error. Vignerons in Tavel figured out over centuries of grape-growing that their region is one of the best for rosé wines and so they stick with what they do best and they have even put it into the law by specifying the AOC for just rosé wines. For a wine to be able to use a specific AOC, such as the Tavel AOC, it must abide by the rules of that AOC. The AOC controls the production area, the grape varieties permitted in the wine, in some cases the minimum and/or maximum alcoholic strength of the wine, the yields, and other aspects of how the grapes are grown and how the wine is made. If a wine does not meet these qualifications, then it will not be permitted to use the AOC and the wine would be declassified. So a producer might be able to make a red wine from a vineyard in Tavel, but he would not be able to label it as AOC Tavel – that AOC can only be used for Rosé wines.

While Tavel rosés are great for drinking anytime, luckily for us, rosé “season” is right around the corner. So if you have never tried a rosé wine from Tavel, keep your eyes peeled – you will definitely be seeing some featured in your local wine store very shortly!