Normandy might be famous for its cider and calvados, but a growing number of vignerons are now looking to put its wine on the map too.
In medieval times, grape-growers carved out terraces on south-facing slopes all over the region, the traces of which can still be seen.
In those days, Norman wine did not have a good reputation. The cool climate meant it often tasted acidic rather than sweet, and some years the weather meant there was no grape crop at all.
After the Black Death, a shortage of labour saw Norman wine go into sharp decline, and the development of cider, which needs less work, was the final nail in the coffin.
Wine pioneer
However, in 1995 a historic vineyard was revived by a pioneer named Gérard Samson, just south of Caen. Having previously worked in Burgundy, he realised that the sometimes cool and damp conditions were not too dissimilar from his native Normandy.
Sold under the name Arpents du Soleil, his wines are made mainly from pinot noir grapes from Burgundy (for the reds), and Auxerrois grapes from Alsace (whites).
Awards have followed and now they even have official indication géographique protégée (IGP).
Further north in France, The Connexion has previously reported on vineyards being established on the side of former slag heaps (terrils) in Haillicourt, Pas-de-Calais.
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They are punningly-named ‘Charbonnay’ – the wine is made from Chardonnay grapes while charbon is the French word for coal.
