The long-running conflict between Chaume and Quarts de Chaume in the Loire’s Layon Valley has been resolved.

The regional committee of the INAO has agreed that Quarts de Chaume should become a grand cru, while Chaume will become a premier cru.

The producers of the Quarts de Chaume, one of the three crus of Anjou, objected that this undermined their superior status.

Jean Baumard of Domaine des Baumard led the opposition. The case went to the French courts, which annulled the new appellation in 2005.

In 2007 Chaume tried again with Coteaux du Layon Chaume. Once again there was opposition and the appellation was annulled by the French courts in May 2009.

Following this court decision, Claude Papin of Château Pierre-Bise, the president of the Quarts de Chaume producers, managed to thrash out this new agreement.

decanter.com understands the new proposal is likely to be approved by the National INAO committee. Furthermore, Savennières is understood to be working on a similar demand for grand cru status.

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Written by Jim Budd

Jim Budd
Jim Budd
Decanter Magazine, Wine Writer & Photographer

Jim Budd moved from education to wine in 1988 and has written for Decanter since 1989. He is the former editor (1991-2015) of Circle Update, the newsletter of the Circle of Wine Writers.  He writes the award-winning www.jimsloire.blogspot.com and is one of the five members of the Les 5 du Vin blog. Budd exposes the dangers of drinks investment on his award-winning www.investdrinks.org website, and complementary www.investdrinks-blog.blogspot.com blog. He also contributes to Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book, Wine Behind the Label and the Academie du Vin. Budd is a keen photographer – especially in the Loire.