- Lieu-dit
Lieu-dit (
plural : "lieux-dits") is a Frenchwine term which in its typical usage translates as "vineyard name" or "named vineyard". [Outside its wine usage, the term "lieu-dit" can refer to any type of traditional place name.] Typically, a "lieu-dit" is the smallest piece of land which has a traditional vineyard name assigned to it. [cite encyclopedia |editor=Jancis Robinson | encyclopedia=Oxford Companion to Wine |edition= Third Edition |title=Lieu-dit |year=2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=0-19-860990-6 |pages=401 ] In most cases, this means that a "lieu-dit" is smaller than an "appellation d'origine contrôlée " (AOC).In some cases, "lieux-dits" appear on wine labels, in addition to the AOC name. This is most commonly seen for
Alsace wine andBurgundy wine . It may not always be easy for consumers to tell if a name on a wine label is a "lieu-dit" or acuvée name created by the producer.The only case of mandatory mention of a "lieu-dit" is in Alsace, for
Alsace Grand Cru AOC . The Grand Cru designation may only be used if a "lieu-dit" is indicated. "Lieux-dits" may also be indicated on regularAlsace AOC wines, but is not mandatory.In Burgundy, the term "climat" is used interchangeably with "lieu-dit". The use of the "lieu-dit" varies with the level of classification of the wine. Although the
Grand Cru burgundies are in generally considered to be classified on the vineyard level and defined as separate AOCs (with the exception ofChablis Grand Cru), some Burgundy Grand Crus are in fact divided into several "lieux-dits". An example is Corton, where it is fairly common to see "lieux-dits" such as Les Bressandes, Le Clos de Roi and Les Renardes indicated. For village level burgundies, the "lieu-dit" may only be indicated in smaller print than the village name to avoid confusion withPremier Cru burgundies, where the village and vineyard name is indicated in the same size print.In Rhõne, "lieux-dits" are most commonly seen for some of the top wines of the region. An example is the "lieu-dit" La Mouline within
Côte-Rôtie .References and footnotes
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