Vineyard gains protected historic landmark status

A 200 year old parcel of vines in the Saint Mont appellation, South West France has become the first vineyard in France to be officially recognised as a protected historic landmark.

The vines, covering just 0.5 acres, were listed due to their “exceptional character” and distinct “cultivation methods over the past century” by the Regional and Heritage Sites Commission of the Midi-Pyrénées (CRPS) – which is run by the French government.

Situated in the heart of the Saint Mont appellation in the village of Sarragachies in the Gers department, the vineyard benefits from a sandy sub-soil which has enabled it to resist Phylloxera, the insect responsible for decimating entire wine regions around Europe in the late nineteenth century.

Showing the biodiversity of the region’s vineyards, this plot contains around 20 different grape varieties, including seven unidentified to date by leading viticulture and ampelographic experts such as Jean-Michel Boursiquot, Thierry Lacombe and Olivier Yobrégat.

Oliver Bourdet-Pees, managing director for Plaimont said of this recognition, a first in France: “We are absolutely delighted to gain such a prestigious recognition. It is in this region that a great number of grape varieties used in the South-West and Atlantic coast were born, such as Cabernet Sauvignon.

“Some varietals in this ancient vineyard have been completely forgotten and we are still carrying out tests to determine what they are.”