Aop la livinière and aop boutenac — the culmination at last!

A HISTORIC TURNING POINT FOR TWO GEMS OF THE LANGUEDOC

FOLLOWING APPROVAL BY THE FRENCH STATE, THE EUROPEAN UNION HAS IN TURN REGISTERED, BY DECREE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (OJEU), THE DESIGNATIONS AOP LA LIVINIÈRE (OJEU OF 26/03/2024) AND AOP BOUTENAC (OJEU OF 14/03/2024).

This recognition follows an adventure initiated nearly 40 years ago by visionaries such as Maurice Piccinini and Roger Piquet for La Livinière, and Gérard Bertrand with Yves Laboucarié for Boutenac. In their wake, these pioneers fostered a collective will to establish themselves in the premium segment and to highlight the uniqueness of terroirs within their base appellations, Minervois and Corbières. This first phase led to the official recognition by the INAO of the AOC Minervois-La Livinière in 1999 and then the AOC Corbières-Boutenac in 2005 (designations linked to their base appellations). Today, both have acquired their own renown, enabling them to obtain this recognition as AOP La Livinière and AOP Boutenac. They thus join the select circle of village appellations of the Languedoc.

Guy Sabarthès, President of AOP La Livinière: "This recognition is indeed for us, winemakers, the opportunity to formalise our status as a village appellation, the highest level in the hierarchy of appellations, as defined by the INAO". For David Latham, President of AOP Boutenac: "This recognition strengthens the identity of our Cru, now more legible. It is a concrete affirmation of our identity."

TWO APPELLATIONS BUT… A SHARED DNA

Though they come to life in distinct terroirs — one rooted in the foothills of the Montagne Noire in the Minervois, and the other nestled around the Pinada massif, at the very heart of the Corbières — the appellations La Livinière and Boutenac nonetheless share a common DNA: an exclusive production of elegant, powerful and expressive red wines, with Mediterranean grape varieties (essentially Syrah for La Livinière and Carignan for Boutenac), a mandatory bottling requirement within the appellation area, a minimum ageing period, and an average cellar-door selling price of between €15 and €20.

SHARED VALUES

It is no surprise then that they also share common values: a commitment to expertise, an attachment to their terroir and their character. Values that have moreover led them to join the prestigious Cercle des Terroirs du Languedoc, a grouping of appellations that orchestrates collective initiatives to showcase the terroirs and village appellations, and to uphold the image of the Languedoc AOPs.

AND A SHARED AMBITION

Thanks to the recognition of their appellations, the winemakers of La Livinière and Boutenac are now well-placed to differentiate themselves and structure their offer, reflecting a shared ambition to develop the attractiveness of their territories while preserving the image of the vineyards. An approach that, according to Etienne Besancenot of Château de Caraguilhes (AOP Boutenac), "reflects the motivation of winemakers who aspire to build a richer and more structured vineyard, imbued with winemaking culture". For Delphine Glangetas of Domaine de l'Ostal (AOP La Livinière): "winemakers who also aspire to preserve their living environment in order to pass on a healthy and living heritage to future generations".

KEY FIGURES

La Livinière (Hérault/Aude)