IGP Gard

Appellation zone

Only in the Gard department

The geographic zone of this IGP stretches throughout the Gard department, situated in the south of France in the Languedoc-Roussillon. The geographic zone differs widely, consisting of three principal settings that contain specific types of vineyards: the Cévennes Mountains at the foothills of the Massif Central, a zone of sedimentary, resinous “garrigue” limestone, and finally a zone of plains that ends with the Camargue river delta.

The Mediterranean climate is particularly favorable to wine-making and is characterized by its hot, dry summers and its rainy periods, notably during the autumn with the well-known “Cévennes episodes” (les épisodes cévenols) responsible for intense rain. The winds of the department are characterized by alternating sea winds (favorable for the maturation of vines in the summer) and the North wind called the Mistral (generally violent and dry). The recorded rainfall, close to 500 mm along its coastal edge, can rise above 800 mm inland. The eastern border of the zone is delineated by the “Gardon” or “Gard” river, which gave its name to the department.

Grape varieties: Cabernet-Sauvignon, Carignan, Chardonnay, Cinsault, Grenache, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Pinot, Sauvignon, Syrah.

Average yield: 65-70 hl/ha

Cdc IGP Gard : http://www.igpvins.fr/pdf/271_CDC-IGP-Gard-BO-2011-11-17.pdf