Béarn AOC is a wine region in South West France covering a vast area over 83 communes (74 in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, 6 in the Hautes Pyrénées and 3 in the Gers).
Production zone: The potential production zone can be divided into three distinct sectors. 1): The first, near Orthez and Salies de Béarn, partially concerned by the mention “Bellocq” of which more below. 2) The second corresponds to the geographical area of the Jurançon AOC plus 5 neighbouring communes. 3) The third covers the same geographical area Madiran AOC plus two neighbouring communes.
The AOC Béarn, “Bellocq” AOC is delimited on a parcel basis in 4 communes (Bellocq, Orthez, Lahontan and Salies de Béarn) and covers 340 ha.
Communes: Abos. | Arbus. | Arricau-Bordes. | Arrosès. | Artiguelouve. | Aubertin. | Aubous. | Aurions-Idernes. | Aydie. | Baigts-de-Béarn. | Bellocq. | Bérenx. | Bétracq. | Bosdarros. | Burosse-Mendousse. | Cadillon. | Cannet. | Cardesse. | Carresse-Cassaber. | Castagnède. | Castelnau-Rivière-Basse. | Castetpugon. | Castillon (Canton de Lembeye). | Conchez-de-Béarn. | Corbère-Abères. | Crouseilles. | Cuqueron. | Diusse. | Escurès. | Estialescq. | Gan. | Gayon. | Gelos. | Hagedet. | Haut-de-Bosdarros. | L’ Hôpital-d’Orion. | Jurançon. | Lacommande. | Lagor. | Lahontan. | Lahourcade. | Laroin. | Lascazères. | Lasserre. | Lasseube. | Lasseubetat. | Lembeye. | Lespielle. | Lucq-de-Béarn. | Madiran. | Mascaraàs-Haron. | Maumusson-Laguian. | Mazères-Lezons. | Moncaup. | Moncla. | Monein. | Monpezat. | Mont-Disse. | Mourenx. | Narcastet. | Ogenne-Camptort. | Oraàs. | Orthez. | Parbayse. | Portet. | Puyoô. | Ramous. | Rontignon. | Saint-Faust. | Saint-Jean-Poudge. | Saint-Lanne. | Salies-de-Béarn. | Salles-Mongiscard. | Sauvelade. | Séméacq-Blachon. | Soublecause. | Tadousse-Ussau. | Taron-Sadirac-Viellenave. | Uzos. | Vialer. | Viella. | Vielleségure.
Vineyard area & wine production: 1988: 7,869hl of red and rosé, 325hl of white (Clive Coates MW: 1990, p.386). | 2016: 10,345 hl were produced from 182ha (source: Customs viticulture service).
Bibliography
Oxford Companion to Wine 4th edition ed. Jancis Robinson MW and Julia Harding MW (Oxford University Press, 2015).
Tom Stevenson, The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia 5th Edition (Dorling Kindersley, 2011).