The Château d’Aguilar (Castle of Aguilar), a 12th-century castle located in Tuchan
Located in the Aude Department, the tiny Vallée du Torgan IGP is comprised of just two French communes: Tuchan and Paziols. This is a sparsely populated area (both communes put together have less than 2,000 year-round inhabitants), but the area is rich in garrigue shrubland and rustic vineyards. While this vin de pays region is obscure, it has some famous neighbors: it is located within the boundaries of the Fitou AOC and surrounded by the vineyards of the largest appellation of the Languedoc , the Corbières AOC.
The Vallée du Torgan IGP is located in the Massif de Corbières, a mid-level mountain range that forms a portion of the more expansive Pre-Pyrenees (sometimes described as the northern foothills of the Pyrenees). Elevations are moderate and range from 135 meters (446 feet) to 920 meters (3,018 feet) asl.
The appellation is named for the Torgan River (Le Torgan). Le Torgan—a short but wild river just 19 km/12 miles in length—actually flows to the west of the area and joins the Verdouble River in the commune of Padern.
View of the Pyrenees from the vineyards of Tuchan
The cahier des charges for the Vallée du Torgan IGP was recently updated (May 4, 2023), and it tells an interesting story. Wine production in this area has always been dominated by red grapes with a smattering of whites, and the appellations of the region (even the area’s famous AOCs) have allowed for a long list of grape varieties to be used in their wines. After this last update, the Vallée du Torgan IGP allows for 81 distinct varieties—an impressive number of grapes to be sure—in total. (At last count—the latest update was in 2019—22 varieties are allowed for use in the Corbières AOC.)
None of this is exceptionally mind-blowing information, but what makes this latest update interesting is the way that the newly approved grape varieties are described in the updated documentation for the Vallée du Torgan IGP. The revision allows for the use of 13 varieties “considered to be resistant to vine diseases” (variétés dites résistantes aux maladies de la vigne) as well as 14 varieties “with the potential to adapt to climate change” (variétés présentant une aptitude potentielle au changement climatique).
The wine world is most likely getting accustomed to announcements from the INAO regarding new grape varieties, but this announcement is unique in that it includes the introduction of at least a dozen hybrid varieties. If you’ve been keeping up with the latest changes in the world of wine, you’ll recognize the increased acceptance of hybrid grape varieties as part of a growing trend.
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Map of the Vallée du Torgan IGP via the INAO
Here is a quick run-down on a few of the more interesting hybrid grapes now on the list, as part of the Vallée du Torgan IGP:
- Artaban: A red, interspecific hybrid grape variety produced by the Julius Kühn-Institut in Quedlinburg, Germany; approved for use in France in 2018
- Floréal: A white, interspecific hybrid (containing bits and bobs of Villaris (Sirius X Vidal) and Muscadinia rotundifolia. Watch out for this grape…rumor has it that Bordeaux might be seeking approval for it in the future.
- Saphira: A white, interspecific hybrid (also known as Geisenheim 7815-1) produced by Dr. Helmet Becker in 1978; grown mainly in Germany and Switzerland
- Soreli: A white grape variety produced in Italy via a hybrid of Sauvignonasse (Friulano) and Kozma 20-3.
- Vidoc: A white, interspecific hybrid grape variety produced by the Julius Kühn-Institut in Quedlinburg, Germany; approved for use in France in 2018
- Voltis: An interspecific hybrid (white) grape variety that recently made news by being approved for limited use in the wines of the Champagne AOC.
See the attached documentation (below) for a complete list of the grape varieties (and more interesting discussion) of the new-and-improved Vallée du Torgan IGP. And keep an eye out for hybrid grapes…they are on the move!
References/for more information:
- Map-Vallee du Torgan via INAO
- Vallee du Torgan-Journal Oficial May 2023
- Artaban via Planet Grape: https://plantgrape.plantnet-project.org/en/cepage/Artaban
- Floréal via Planet Grape: https://plantgrape.plantnet-project.org/en/recherche/floreal
- Saphira via the VIVC: https://www.vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=17125
- Soreli via the VIVC: https://www.vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=24892
- Vidoc via Planet Grape: https://plantgrape.plantnet-project.org/en/cepage/Vidoc
- Voltis via Planet Grape: https://plantgrape.plantnet-project.org/en/recherche/Voltis
- The Torgan/ Verdouble River: https://bv-agly.fr/le-bassin-versant/lagly-et-ses-affluents/
Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org