Les Vignerons de Tutiac (Cote Ocean)

Sustainable

some of Tutiac’s vineyards along the Gironde

igp atlantique

Most of central and southern France is subsumed within large zones of broadly similar climate conditions, each of which carries an Indication Geographique Protegee (IGP) label. There are a total of seven, including Val-de-Loire (formerly VDP du Jardin de la France), Atlantique (greater Bordeaux and surrounds)(, Compte-Tolosan (the Southwest), Pays d’Oc / Terres du Midi (Rhone, Languedoc, Roussillon), Mediterrannee (Provence and its hinterlands up to the Alps including Corsica), Comtes-Rhodaniens (a scattering of lands in the middle- and upper-Rhone and Ardeche, with some overlap into the Mediterrannee IGP).

France- IGP Zones. Atlantique is the dark purple, with Loire (light green) to the north, and Compte Tolosan (pink) to the south.

The Atlantique IGP is a broad expanse of lands from the atlantic coast to the edges of the massif central, and from the southern edge of the Loire watershed to the hills of Gascony. The soil in the area is primarily calcareous , clayey , or even clayey- sandy where it borders the Landes de Gascogne region, and stony where it borders the granitic sand transported by streams flowing down from the Massif Central.

Les Vignerons de Tutiac

Vignerons de Tutiac: A Model Cooperative in the Heart of Bordeaux

Based on both banks of the Gironde, the Vignerons de Tutiac bring together nearly 700 winemakers committed to responsible and sustainable viticulture. The coop is named for the Butte de Tutiac, the hillock upon which Saint Louis (Louis IX of France) build a chapel in 1234. Founded in 1974, the coop includes over 12,000 acres of vineyard in most of Bordeaux’ major appellations, as well as holdings in the larger IGP Atlantique region that includes Bordeaux.

With such a large and diverse set of terroirs, Tutiac is able to produce classically styled wines highly expressive of their individual terroirs, from the full gamut of classic Bordeaux varieties.

Committed to an eco-friendly approach, the Vignerons de Tutiac practice sustainable farming, are transitioning to organic agriculture, and adopt growing techniques that limit chemical inputs and promote biodiversity.

Today Les Vignerons de Tutiac manages 150 Chateaux across 15 Bordeaux Appellations, producing some 3.2 million bottles of wine annually.

The climate is strongly Atlantic Maritime, with mild winters and fairly high rainfall; with whiffs of the Mediterranean in some of the far Eastern pockets of the IGP. The wines of this vast region are hugely diverse, with over 100 permitted grape varieties grown on a wide variety of soils, although Tutiac remains focussed on the coassic Bordeaux eight - Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle.

the wines: cote ocean

The Cote Ocean line is produced from fruit on tne lower Gironde, on clay rich soils on top of shaly limestone marl. The Sauvignon Blanc is bright and clean, with whiffs of that classic coastal salinity, while the Rose, of 100% Merlot is crisp and clean, with notes of blackcurrant, strawberry and citrus.