Plaimont reveals programme for grape study conference

Saint Mont’s second ampelographic conference, which takes place next month, is set to reveal the latest discoveries surrounding grape varieties from the foothills of the Pyrenees. 

Plaimont Producteurs owns the only pre-phylloxera vines to be officially recognised in France as a protected historic landmark (Photo: Plaimont Producteurs)

A pioneer in the research of grape varieties and their origins, local co-operative Plaimont Producteurs will host the conference in Gascony for the second time.

The co-op will welcome wine professionals and specialists to the region on 12-13 September for a two-day programme of seminars, discussions, debates and tastings. Following the conference, there will be further tastings of micro-vinifications of rare varieties on which the co-op is conducting ongoing research.

Plaimont Producteurs has been heavily involved in the study of grape varieties for several years thanks to the initiative of the company’s founder, André Dubosc, president Joël Boueilh and managing director Olivier Bourdet-Pees.

The co-op possesses the only pre-phylloxera vines to be officially recognised as a protected historic landmark by the French government-run Regional and Heritage Sites Commission.

In 2002, Plaimont opened the first private Ampelographic Conservatory, where they are today looking after 120 varieties of vines.

It is currently developing and growing, among others, the rediscovered indigenous variety Manseng Noir. Once widespread in the Basque country of southern France and northern Spain, Manseng Noir is genetically distinct from Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng and is considered one of Plaimont’s most important areas of ampelographic research.

Read more:

Plaimont unveils pre-phylloxera cuvée

Plaimont purchases 11th-century monastery

“We will be presenting and discussing different subject areas, such as the origins of the varietals of the South-West, biodiversity, opportunity for plantings, and micro-vinification of rare varieties,” Bourdet-Pees commented.

“We look forward to a roundtable experts’ debate regarding the future prospects for research and development, with focus on vine plant heritage.”

As well as these studies, other initiatives from Savoy and Charente will be presented, Plaimont confirmed.

The programme of this year’s conference are as follows:

• Vine biodiversity: definitions, methods, update and issues, Jean-Michel Boursiquot, Inra Montpellier Supagro.
• Recent entries in the Official Catalogue, foreign origins and heritage grape varieties: an opportunity for all wine growers, Laurent Audeguin, IFVV/ENTAV Inra.
• How grape varieties from the South-West have travelled: distribution and spread, Thierry Lacombe, Inra Montpellier Supagro.
• Saint Mont’s ampelographic heritage: update and advances in research, Olivier Yobregat, IFV.
• Presentation of ampelographic research for two remarkable initiatives in Savoy and Charente.