Ventoux AOC is the name used since 2009 for what was formerly called the Côtes du Ventoux AOC. The name was shortened for the sake of simplification and to highlight the Ventoux name. The AOC covers wines of all three colours from 51 communes (see production zone, below) along the lower slopes of the Ventoux mountain and at the foot of the Vaucluse Mountains in the Vaucluse department in the southeastern Rhône Valley region of France. The geographic area extends east of the Rhône, from the outskirts of Vaison-la-Romaine, in the north, to Apt, in the south, from the Ouvèze river to the Coulon valley. It thus passes from the Dentelles de Montmirail to the northern slopes of the Luberon, crossing the Monts du Vaucluse and winding at the foot of the “Giant of Provence”, Mont Ventoux massif (1,912 metres), which dominates the whole landscape. This summit, the highest and most spectacular of the entire Vaucluse limestone massif dominates and influences this vineyard, to which it has lent its name since very early times. The neighbouring appellation of Luberon AOC stretches along its southern border and is separated from it by the Calavon river.

History: A potter’s workshop and wine pottery, dating from 30BC, around the village of Mazan, is where the first known wine amphorae in France were produced, linked already to the Greek and then Roman presences. The cultivation of vines on the slopes of Mont Ventoux has been practiced since ancient times. There is written proof of this in the 9th century. The wines of “Ventoux” flourished during the Avignon Papacy, and are present on these tables from 1309 to 1414, and over the centuries Ventoux wines, alongside other leading French wines, were served to the kings of France at the Royal Court. The cadastres of the communes of Comtat-Venaissin drawn up between 1414 and 1417 give the areas planted at that time. From the 16th to the 18th century, the Pernes consuls published “harvest banns”, proof that the production of quality wines is already a concern of the local authorities. The notarial registers, by their “complant leases”, make it possible to attest the presence of some of the current grape varieties from the 15th century, like Piquepoul noir, Bourboulenc or Clairette Blanche.

Path to AC status: In 1876, Jabarral, in his irrigation report mentions the following grape varieties: Piquepoul Noir, Grenache noir and syrah for red wines, and Clairette Blanche and Bourboulenc, for white wines. The process towards official recognition of the quality of the wines began on July 29, 1939 with the creation of the Winegrowers’ Syndicate of “Côtes du Ventoux and Monts de Vaucluse”. This led to, in 1951, the recognition of the appellation of origin as a delimited wine of superior quality, then in 1973, the recognition of the appellation of controlled origin “Côtes du Ventoux” by the decree of July 27, 1973. By wish for simplification and to highlight the geographical name, the name of the appellation of controlled origin becomes “Ventoux” by decree of October 17, 2009.

Production zone: The grapes must be grown, fermented and bottled in 51communes  in the Vaucluse departement: Apt, Aubignan, Le Barroux, Le Beaucet, Beaumettes, Beaumont-du-Ventoux, Bédoin, Blauvac, Bonnieux, Cabrières-d’Avignon, Caromb, Carpentras, Caseneuve, Crestet, Crillon-le-Brave, Entrechaux, Flassan, Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, Gargas, Gignac, Gordes, Goult, Joucas, Lagnes, Lioux, Loriol-du-Comtat, Malaucène, Malemort-du-Comtat, Maubec, Mazan, Méthamis, Modène, Mormoiron, Murs, Pernes, Robion, La Roque-sur-Pernes, Roussillon, Rustrel, Saignon, Saumane, Saint-Didier, Saint-Hippolyte-le-Graveron, Saint-Martin-de- Castillon, Saint-Pantaléon, Saint-Pierre-de-Vassols, Saint-Saturnin-d’Apt, Venasque, Viens, Villars et Villes-sur-Auzon.

Terroir: The vineyards lie in the east of the Rhône Valley, across 51 communes in the Vaucluse, bordered in the south by the Calavon. The area is listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The geomorphology of the geographical area, resulting from the Pyrenean orogeny, generated multiple hillsides on limestone substratum. The thick hard limestone formation of the Urgonian (Lower Cretaceous) provides the framework for these reliefs, the current structure of which was formed during the Alpine uplift during the Middle Miocene. The result is red Mediterranean soils, brown calcareous, poorly developed, arid soils, colluvial, eluvial and skeletal erosion soils. All are relatively stony, fed by limestone scree from the reliefs. Soils with a sandy, light texture, rich in gravel from “safres”, a Comtat term designating the sand-sandy-marl formation of the Miocene, are undoubtedly the most representative. Note the ocher sands and sandstones of the Cretaceous which mark the landscape of the southern sector of the geographical area (ocher of Roussillon).

Soils: The Vaucluse terroirs are made up of sediment deposited by seas in the Tertiary at the base of the limestone massif of Mont Ventoux. They show an astonishing range of geological formations including three types of soil. 1) red soils resulting from limestone degradation; 2) soils comprising a mix of sand and ochre clay; and 3) detrital soils with a covering of rounded cobbles or limestone scree broken away from the mountain.

Climate: Moderate Mediterranean climate, influenced to some degree by the proximity of the mountains. (Mont Ventoux and the mountains of Vaucluse).

Climate: Marked by the Moderate Mediterranean climate, influenced to some degree by the proximity of the mountains. (Mont Ventoux and the mountains of Vaucluse). The geographical area nevertheless constitutes the transition with the colder Alpine sectors. It is also one of the sunniest in the department (2800 hours per year in Carpentras). The average annual rainfall is 700 millimeters concentrated mainly in autumn and, at least, in summer, during the period of maturity of the grapes. In addition, at the end of summer, the daily thermal amplitude is greater than in the rest of the department with cooler nights. The Mistral is certainly present, but its excess of violence and cold are significantly limited by the climatic barrier offered by the chain of Dentelles de Montmirail and the foothills of Mont Ventoux (Mount of all winds). Remain its beneficial effects of wind characterized by its dryness. In this transitional territory, on these “peasant mountains” dear to Jean GIONO, the vine is always associated with southern arboriculture, constituting a marquetry of cultures with cherry, apricot and olive trees.

Vineyard area & wine production: 2002 7,7450ha produced 311,102hl (Guide Hachette des Vins: 2004: p.1066). | 2009 The second largest AOC in the Rhône Valley in terms of volume. 6,374 hectares produced 271,000hl, mainly red wines (66% of production) and rosé wines (30% of production ). There were 142 private cellars and 14 cooperative cellars.

Wines

Ventoux AOC Blanc

Ventoux AOC Rosé

Ventoux AOC Rouge: The most age worthy wines come from stony clay-limestone soils, while lighter and more perfumed ones from ochre sands and sandstones.

Wineries

Certified organic: Domaine Grange de Louiset (Flassan). Domaine Solence (Mazan).

Terroir: The vineyards lie in the east of the Rhône Valley, across 51 communes in the Vaucluse, bordered in the south by the Calavon. The area is listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Climate: Moderate Mediterranean climate, influenced to some degree by the proximity of the mountains. (Mont Ventoux and the mountains of Vaucluse).

Soils: The Vaucluse terroirs are made up of sediment deposited by seas in the Tertiary at the base of the limestone massif of Mont Ventoux. They show an astonishing range of geological formations including three types of soil:

– red soils resulting from limestone degradation;

– soils comprising a mix of sand and ochre clay; and

– detrital soils with a covering of rounded cobbles or limestone scree broken away from the mountain

Website: https://www.vins-rhone.com/en/vineyard/appellations/ventoux