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The Crus or sub-regions : 6 "terroirs" in a wide appellation area
The “Appellation d’Origine Controlée Cognac", or Cognac producing area, with its 78 000 ha under vineyards, is the widest area of France ruled by the system of Wine Appellations after Bordeaux. It is located in the South West of France, at the North of Bordeaux vineyards.
The grapes come from 6"Crus”, 6 zones broadly concentrated around the town of Cognac: Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois, and Bois Ordinaires…
Roughly, the characteristics of the areas are :
| Crus |
Area/area under vines |
Soils |
Grande Champagne
|
34 703 ha / 13 249 ha
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Hills, very chalky sub-soils
friable, with many fossils
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Petite Champagne
|
65 603 ha / 15 248 ha
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Chalky sub-soils, more compact
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| Borderies |
12 540 ha / 4 056 ha
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Plateau dominating the
surrounding "Bois"
Clay and flint stones
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Fins Bois
|
349 803 ha / 31 216 ha
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Heterogeneous
Terres de groies: red soils Clay and limestone
"Bas pays": lower area, clays
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Bons Bois
|
372 053 ha / 9 277 ha
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Very heterogeneous
clay, limestone, sands
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Bois Ordinaires
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260 417 ha / 1 066 ha
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Many sandy soils
Includes Ré and Oléron
islands
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This description gives an idea of the main characteristics of these zones, and is usually accepted. Anyhow, do not take it as an exact description: some areas are extremely wide, and compared to other French Appellations, you can find a diversity of soils inside a same Cru.
The history of the definition of the appellation zone explains this situation. It will be treated soon in Cognac Magazine section.
From the gently rolling hills of Grand Champagne spreading around the small vintners' village of Segonzac to the sands of the
islands, from the « Terres de groies » to the plateau of Borderies,
these sub regions have different climates, soils and sub soils.
The
wines coming from the different areas will differ, and the eaux de vie
as well…
So even if the limits of each Cru can be discussed, at the moment they are admitted as the legal limits...and particularly they are the basis of the quotations of the "eaux de vie": a merchant will not pay the same price for a Grand Champagne or a Bon Bois...
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