Cognac gets three new resistant vine varieties

t its AGM on 15 December, the Cognac winegrowers’ organisation asked the National Institute for Origin and Quality (INAO) to add three ‘varieties of interest for adaptation’ (abbreviated as ‘Vifa’) to its specifications. These include Vidal and the lesser-known varieties Coutia and Luminan, all of which were registered in the official catalogue via a decree published in the Official Journal dated 22 December 2021.

Coutia and Luminan are two white monogenic varieties stemming from 20 years of research work led by Alain Bouquet in a programme conducted in conjunction with the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE), taken over by the National Cognac Trade Bureau (BNIC). They are resistant to downy and powdery mildew and appear to be suitable for producing distillation wines.

Depending on feedback from INAO and the availability of plants, volunteer winegrowers will be able to plant from 2024 onwards, up to a maximum of 5% of their total vine stock (and 5% of the appellation’s total acreage). An experimental body will monitor the performance of the new vines.