The Terroir Pézenas wine union held its 4th general meeting this Monday, November 18 and took stock of the AOP Pézenas appellation file, which is now in the hands of Inao.
“Recognition of our appellation is now within reach. And it can be an asset not only for the wines and winegrowers but also for the sites, landscapes and tourism of our territory”. The Terroir Pézenas union, chaired by Jacques Bilhac, held, this Monday, November 18, the 4e edition of its general statements, at the town hall of the Piscénoise city.
“The idea is to bring together all those who revolve around wine: restaurateurs, hosts, elected officials, tourist offices. All those, in short, who may have an interest, directly or indirectly, in the birth of an appellation specific, with the economic benefits that go hand in hand”continues this passionate and volunteer president.
Working together
However, for the moment, the town of Pézenas is much better known for its famous men (Molière, Boby Lapointe), its heritage or its antique dealers than for its wines. “It is already a matter of regrouping and working together so that when we obtain this recognition, we can establish the name of Pézenas as a wine reference in the image of Saint-Émilion”.
To do this, an association took shape, then a prelude to the constitution of a SCIC (Cooperative Society of Collective Interest). Its baptismal name: “Eruption of a territory”, in reference to basalt, this volcanic rock which constitutes the link between the lands and soils of the 15 communes of the future appellation.
“Eruption of a territory”, an association to shine
The project had been hanging around for a couple of years. It was created and the statutes filed but until now we did not have the time to really bring it to life because we were absorbed in putting together the file filed with the Inao (National Institute of Designation of Origin and Quality)”.
From now on, the ball is in Inao’s court. The verdict should fall in 2025, probably at the end of the year. “Until then, since we have the know-how, it is a matter of making it known very widely.”
INAO calendar
The 15 municipalities grouped together in the Terroir Pézenas wine union have benefited from the Languedoc Pézenas appellation since 2006 for their red wines. They now claim the AOP Pézenas and have submitted a file to this effect with the Inao (National Institute of Appellation of Origin). This passed the threshold of the regional body of Inao, which transmitted it to the national level. The file will be examined in Paris at the end of November-beginning of December. A commission will then be appointed and will come on site, during the 1is et 2e quarters of 2025, in contact with the different winegrowers. It will deliver its conclusions and defend the project before INAO, which will make its decision. Once this has been validated by the Ministry of Agriculture and the European Union, the Pézenas appellation will officially exist. “If all the planets are aligned, it should take a year at most.”
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