The third Thursday in November is approaching, and with it the release of the new wine: like every year for 32 years, the Côtes du Rhône right bank association is organizing a tasting evening this Thursday, November 21 in Bagnols, followed by the Balade du primeur the following weekend.
“We are the last Gauls to produce new products”says the president of the right bank Côtes du Rhône association and winemaker in Roquemaure Jean-François Assemat. It must be said that the official figures for new wine production in the Côtes du Rhône are in free fall: from 19,813 hectoliters in 2016 to barely more than 2,000 in 2024. The new wine is therefore in a clear loss of speed, at a time when “yet we want light and fruity wines”asks Jean-François Assemat, a wine profile that fits perfectly with the primeur.
If new wine is no longer popular, this is not the case for the Balade du primeur, an unmissable event for local wine tourism. “Always a festive and friendly weekend”presents Jean-François Assemat, and an event that brings people back to the cellars: “1,200 people over two days, some of whom come from Marseille and Nice”he adds for his personal case. For Jérémie Castor, from the Saint-Nabor estate in Cornillon, the Balade du primeur represents “1,000 people in two days on the vault”. The one who is also the president of the Provence Occitane Tourist Office believes that the event brings together “40,000 to 50,000 people in the territory” around new wine, from Laval-Saint-Roman to Théziers, and from Pujaut to Gaujac.
Hostilities will start this Thursday 21 at 10 a.m. to noon at the Halles de Nîmes with a tasting, before in the evening from 7 p.m. the big evening on Place Mallet in Bagnols. The wines from the 22 cellars and estates participating this year, two more than last year, including new ones: the Pélaquié estate, in Saint-Victor-la-Coste, the cave des Vignerons de Saint-Gély, in Cornillon and SAS Tresavin, in Tresques. DJ Baba Music will set the mood, and local restaurateurs will be there. The tasting glasses will be 5 euros, then the glass at 2 euros and the bottles of primeur at 10 euros. “Last year, we made more than 400 entries”underlines Pierre Pappalardo, from the organizing association. On the weekend, the 22 participating cellars will each offer their program, to consult on the event website.
The scoop is “a bit of an excuse to get together, to get together, it’s not just a wine, but the story behind it”affirms Jérémie Castor, while the new generation of cellar customers “consume less but better, want to be shown how we work. » It is also “a way to discover the region through its festive side”adds the first deputy mayor of Bagnols Maxime Couston. The town hall, which is once again a partner of the event, like the Agglomeration of Rhone Gard, the Region and the Department. “It’s a promotion of our winegrowers and winegrowers, the agricultural world is suffering so for us it’s the least we can do to support it”estimates the vice-president of the Agglomeration Benoît Trichot.
And what does this 2024 vintage look like? The general opinion is that the quality will be there, a little less the quantity, the fault of mildew which hit hard given the weather conditions, and hail in places. As for the first, “it will have a little less degree, which is good, and a lot of fruit, a nice freshness”says Jérémie Castor, “it will be fruity, easy to drink, supple”adds Jean-François Assemat. To make up your own mind, you know what you have to do.
And also
The Rabelais space, Place Mallet in Bagnols, will offer the “I create my cuvée” workshop on December 7 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. “There will be different grape varieties and everyone will be able to make their own blend”presents Jérémie Castor. Entrance 12 euros, ticket office ici.
