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The lush vineyards of Beaumes de Venise could be straight from the landscapes of Tuscany.

Vines and olive groves grow side by side on land lovingly tended by the winegrowers, where sustainable agriculture is a natural extension of their deep love for this unique, fertile, precious land.

The name “de Venise” makes us think of Venice, and sounds as if it might have romantic connotations. But this area isn’t named for the beautiful Italian town; it’s a derivation of “de Venisse”, from “Comtat Venaissin” (also known as Comtat Avignonnais), which was once part of the Papal States.

Beaumes de Venise lies in the foothills of the Dentelles de Montmirail and their jagged peaks of Jurassic limestone, a terroir made up of 3 types of soil, notably the rocky outcrop known as Le Trias, exceptional soils which produce a very specific type of wine.

Beaumes-de-Venise

History

2005
2005

Birth of AOC Beaumes-de-Venise

Vines have been grown in Beaumes de Venise since ancient times. Much of the vineyard was devastated by phylloxera in the late 19th century, but was revived in the early 20th century and now enjoys a new vigour. In 1957, Beaumes de Venise became part of the Côtes du Rhône production area; in 1978, the wines were awarded Côtes du Rhône Villages Beaumes-de-Venise status, and on 9th June 2005, Beaumes-de-Venise red wine officially became a standalone Côtes du Rhône Cru.

View the decrees granting appellation status (INAO)
Geography

Territory

The appellation spans the villages of Beaumes-de-Venise, Lafare, La Roque-Alric and Suzette, in Vaucluse.

Climate

The climate is influenced by the Mediterranean. Temperatures are high, as the Dentelles de Montmirail protect the area from the Mistral wind.

Soils

A particular geology

The character of Beaumes de Venise wines is shaped to a large extent by three major terroirs. These are:

The Terres du Trias (Triassic Earth). The Triassic period is the name given to the earliest part of the Mesozoic era. Normally, the Triassic rock in this area would be buried some 1,500m underground, but as the Dentelles de Montmirail emerged they brought the Triassic deposits to the surface, mainly around the town of Suzette, in a compressed formation unique to the Rhône Valley known as the Suzette Diapir. The soils are shallow and generally poor, but are cultivable; they protect the vines from both drought and humidity, as the fine earth, coloured ochre by the presence of iron, hardens during times of drought but contains fissures which help it remain porous.

The Terres WHITEhes (Cretaceous White Earth), around the village of Roque Alric, made up of calcareous clay and marl. The parent rock is greyish in colour, showing a touch of red where iron is present. As they grow, the vines’ roots bore down into the limestone, extracting the minerals they need to thrive. The terroir is farmed mainly on terraces with maximum sun exposure.

The Terres Grises (Jurassic Grey Earth) are found chiefly to the north of the village of Lafare, set against the south-eastern slopes of the Dentelles de Montmirail. The soils are mainly Oxfordian black marl, made up of silt, clay and sand. They face east and south east, giving excellent sun exposure and promoting uniform ripeness

Key figures

Key figures of the appellation

100% red

Colors

29 hl/ha

Average annual yield

692 ha

Production surface area

20 304 hl

Total production

9%

Exportation

Découvrez le vignoble en chiffres

Discover key figures

Inter Rhône - Key Figures 2021

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