Wines of Auvergne
When enjoying a delicious meal or a savoury cheese, there’s nothing better than to pair it with a good wine. And if it's from Auvergne - even better. Auvergne is not only a land of cheese, but also produces quality wines.
Take a sip of Côtes d’Auvergne AOC wine and let it roll around your mouth.
Savour its character and its fruity, spicy notes.
Auvergne wine: ancestral know-how.
Auvergne has been a wine-producing land since Antiquity. Traces of wine amphoras near the Gergovie Plateau date to 50 BC. Around the year 1000, there were around 10,000 hectares of vineyards. In the 15th century, Auvergne’s wine was so successful that its production needed to be regulated. Kings Henri IV and Louis XIV were known to enjoy Auvergne wine.
19th century: the golden age of Auvergne wine
In the early 19th century, Auvergne was the third leading wine-growing region in France with around 34,000 hectares of vines in 1850. Many wine cellars were built, and towns became known for their networks of cellars, including Aubière and Châteaugay. In 1890, there were 43,000 hectares of vines with an exceptional yield of more than 1.5 million hectolitres of wine.
The 20th century: collapse of the wine industry and the return of Auvergne wine
Between 1895 and 1920, Auvergne's vineyards were decimated. In 1895, the grapes were attacked by an invasion of phylloxera. When this insect attacks a vine, the plant dies within three years. In 1910, the vines were affected by downy mildew, a pathogen that causes decay of the vines. During the First World War, the vineyards were once again affected, this time by the fighting. By 1920, only 15,000 hectares of vines remained.
The Auvergne wine industry took nearly 60 years to earn back its reputation. In 1977, the region obtained the Delimited Wine of Superior Quality (VDQS) label and in 2010, Côtes d'Auvergne was awarded AOC certification.
