Vineyards: they straddle 5 communes: Chusclan, Codolet, Orsan, Saint-Etienne-des-Sorts, Bagnols-sur-Cèze, in the French Department of the Gard.
Soil types: gravely slopes and terrace with some sandy areas.
Climate: typical Mediterranean affected by the Mistral.
Background: Chusclan wines have been renowned for a great many years. Olivier de Serres boasted of their virtues in the eighteenth century, and they were highly fashionable during the reign of Louis XIV thanks to a recipe invented by the Maréchal de Grammont: ‘Lapins d’Arbousset’. Chusclan was known as Côtes du Rhône Chusclan as early as 1947 and went on to be consecrated Côtes du Rhône Villages Chusclan in 1967 for the rosé and in 1971 for the red.
Area under cultivation*: 468 hectares, yearly production: 18007 hl ; basic yield: 38 hl/hectare.
* Source: harvest statement 2004.
Grape variety mix:
for the reds, Grenache 50% minimum, Syrah and / or Mourvèdre 20% minimum, other Appellation grape varieties tolerated 20% maximum.
For the rosé, Grenache 50% minimum, Syrah and / or Mourvèdre 20% minimum, other grape varieties tolerated 20% maximum, white grape varieties 20% maximum (Grenache, Clairette, Marsanne, Roussanne, Bourboulenc and Viognier).
For the whites, Grenache white, Clairette white, Marsanne white, Roussanne white, Bourboulenc white, Viognier white, other white grape varieties tolerated 20% maximum.
Minimum alcoholic strength: for the red 12.5%, for the rosé and the whites 12%.
