Wines by Region / Lorraine
Lorraine
Lorraine is not a region that springs immediately to mind when one thinks of French wine (quiche maybe, but not wine)—which made it especially intriguing to me when I was looking for a new area to discover by car on a free day during one of my trips to France. It indeed turned out to be worth the 3 hr, 45 minute trip from Charles de Gaulle. This often overlooked area lies in the northeastern part of France (part of the Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine administrative region), bordered by Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg. Its capital is Nancy, and it contains just two wine sub-regions, the Côtes de Toul and Vins de Moselle. Most of the region forms part of the Paris Basin, with a plateau cut by river valleys including those of the Moselle, the Meurthe, and the Meuse. Lorraine has an oceanic climate with continental influences.
Principal grapes here include Gamay and Pinot Noir for the red wines and Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Muller Thurgau, Gewurtztraminer and Riesling for the whites. Lorraine’s unique climate (a mixture of continental and oceanic influences) helps create wines that are more akin to the wines of Germany or Switzerland—lighter bodied wines with fresh acidity and minerality. More people who love wines like that should know about this region and begin to discover its intriguing wines, and we are hoping to help you delve deeper into Lorraine.
Moselle
Hearing this name, most people immediately think of Germany and the Riesling grapes that line the steep slate slopes overlooking the river. What they don’t know is that the Mosel River leaves Germany and continues first into Luxembourg and then into France, where it is known as the Moselle. It is here, along the rolling hills just east of the city of Metz, that the northernmost vineyards in France have been situated since Roman times. The prominence of wine growing in this region continued into the Middle Ages, during which abbeys, monasteries and churches received regular supplies of Moselle wines. With the Prussian annexation of 1871, the French Moselle became German and that country’s merchants took over the harvest to produce the sparkling wine sekt. By the end of the 19th century the region had imposed itself as the second Champagne, with an annual production of the equivalent today of over 7 million bottles of sparkling wine. But then, hard times hit: first the phylloxera outbreak, then vintner neglect, then human losses from World War I and finally the resulting armistice treaty (which squashed all German-related business opportunities) all contributed to the Moselle’s decline. By the early 1900’s, most grapes grown were being sent to Champagne for sparkling wine production. But the delimitation of the Champagne appellation in 1936 meant that the Moselle grapes could no longer be used there either, which brought an immediate closure to all the major wine houses in the region. More vines were ripped up. In 1951, VDQS Moselle was created with 1,032 hectares under vine; yet by 1970, only 3 hectares remained. More vines were subsequently planted, but almost all for local consumption.
Hearing this name, most people immediately think of Germany and the Riesling grapes that line the steep slate slopes overlooking the river. What they don’t know is that the Mosel River leaves Germany and continues first into Luxembourg and then into France, where it is known as the Moselle. It is here, along the rolling hills just east of the city of Metz, that the northernmost vineyards in France have been situated since Roman times. The prominence of wine growing in this region continued into the Middle Ages, during which abbeys, monasteries and churches received regular supplies of Moselle wines. With the Prussian annexation of 1871, the French Moselle became German and that country’s merchants took over the harvest to produce the sparkling wine sekt. By the end of the 19th century the region had imposed itself as the second Champagne, with an annual production of the equivalent today of over 7 million bottles of sparkling wine. But then, hard times hit: first the phylloxera outbreak, then vintner neglect, then human losses from World War I and finally the resulting armistice treaty (which squashed all German-related business opportunities) all contributed to the Moselle’s decline. By the early 1900’s, most grapes grown were being sent to Champagne for sparkling wine production. But the delimitation of the Champagne appellation in 1936 meant that the Moselle grapes could no longer be used there either, which brought an immediate closure to all the major wine houses in the region. More vines were ripped up. In 1951, VDQS Moselle was created with 1,032 hectares under vine; yet by 1970, only 3 hectares remained. More vines were subsequently planted, but almost all for local consumption.
In 2010, the appellation Vins de Moselle was created. Today, there are only a handful of independent producers whose vineyards cover a mere 54 hectares spread over different soil types: a brown magnesium-rich limestone atop an ancient strata created by the Moselle River; a soil of marmolite and iridescent shale with heavy clay and limestone; and a rocky soil that is a mix of clay and limestone scree. Here the climate is mixed continental and oceanic, with a marked difference between summer and winter, and the Vosges Mountains provide many of the vineyards a shelter from the rains. The Molozay family, who own Château de Vaux, have south and southeast-exposed hilly vineyards used to produce their certified organic and biodynamic Les Gryphées white blend (30% Auxerrois, 30% Muller Thurgau, 30% Tokay Pinot Gris and 10% Gewurztraminer). These wines are must-try for anyone with an interest in off-the-beaten-path wines from a real place with a genuine history.
Côtes de Toul
Grapes have been grown around Nancy since Roman times and became a substantial part of the area's plantings between the 15th and 17th centuries. Historically the region’s land was divided between the Kingdom of France and British-owned episcopal land. Unusually the area had no great abbeys to aid in the development of the region’s wine, and that role was undertaken by the bishops of Toul. A number of factors have led to the region’s viticultural decline over the past 120 years, including phylloxera (which didn’t cause much damage until 1910), the advent of the railroad that brought less expensive wines to Paris from the south, the destruction of many vineyards during World War I that were never replanted and, perhaps most important, the banning of grapes from the region for use in Champagne which was widespread until revolts in 1907 delimited Champagne’s borders. The Toul appellation covers about 110 hectares, mainly around the towns Bruley, Lucey and Lagney. It received VDQS status in 1951 and was elevated to an appellation in 1998. Annual production is about 600,000 bottles a year, and the great majority of consumption is local.
Grapes have been grown around Nancy since Roman times and became a substantial part of the area's plantings between the 15th and 17th centuries. Historically the region’s land was divided between the Kingdom of France and British-owned episcopal land. Unusually the area had no great abbeys to aid in the development of the region’s wine, and that role was undertaken by the bishops of Toul. A number of factors have led to the region’s viticultural decline over the past 120 years, including phylloxera (which didn’t cause much damage until 1910), the advent of the railroad that brought less expensive wines to Paris from the south, the destruction of many vineyards during World War I that were never replanted and, perhaps most important, the banning of grapes from the region for use in Champagne which was widespread until revolts in 1907 delimited Champagne’s borders. The Toul appellation covers about 110 hectares, mainly around the towns Bruley, Lucey and Lagney. It received VDQS status in 1951 and was elevated to an appellation in 1998. Annual production is about 600,000 bottles a year, and the great majority of consumption is local.
Most of the vines in Toul are planted on gentle slopes that face south and east, sheltered from winds coming from the northwest. Soils are comprised largely of marl (calcium-rich clay and silt) and limestone. Around Bruley there is more clay and less limestone so the wines tend to be a bit higher in alcohol, while around Lucey, limestone closer to the surface helps yield wines that are a bit more elegant. Grape varieties permitted include Aubin Blanc and Auxerrois Blanc for whites, Pinot Noir for reds, and Gamay, Aubin Blanc, Auxerrois, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier for rosé wines. For the Gris de Toul—the region’s best known wine—at least two varieties must be used, and the major grape variety must not exceed 85%. The resulting wine is recognized for its remarkable pale salmon color. Its red berry and chalky notes go well with foods of the Lorraine, including quiche lorraine, paté en croute or cold salmon. Our producer, Isabelle Mangeot of Domaine Regina , has been a very positive addition to our portfolio—it’s always a pleasure to drink her 100% Auxerrois (from 20 year-old vines and aged sur lie) and her Gris de Toul, a blend of 85% Gamay and 15% Pinot Noir with a refreshing below-12% alcohol level.