Domaine de MontgrignonChardonnay

The wine region of Côtes de Meuse

Côtes de Meuse is the PGI title given to wines produced in parts of the Meuse department in Northeast France. Although the region is situated between the famous vineyards of Champagne and Alsace, the vineyards of the Meuse produce only a tiny amount of wine, mainly from Burgundian Grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Auxerrois. The Meuse Lies on the border of Belgium and Luxembourg, at the high latitude of 49 degrees north, and therefore has a cool continental Climate with cold winters and Warm - not hot - summers. Côtes de Meuse growers exploit the region's hilly topography for viticulture, and the vineyards tend to occupy the South and east facing slopes around the river.

The wine region of Vin de Pays

Vin de Pays (VDP), the French national equivalent of PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) at the European level, is a quality category of French wines, positioned between Vin de Table (VDT) and Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC). This layer of the French appellation system was initially introduced in September 1968 by the INAO, the official appellation authority. It underwent several early revisions in the 1970s, followed by substantial changes in September 2000 and again in 2009, when all existing VDT titles were automatically registered with the European Union as PGI. Producers retain the choice of using either the VDP or PGI titles on their labels, or both - in the form "IGP-Vin de Pays".