History

Gaillac, one of the oldest vineyards in France

The 20th Century vineyard

So, the vineyard of Gaillac had lived a thousand harvests, with their joys and their sorrows. The terrible phylloxera crisis, at the end of last Century, did not refrain the perseverance of the winegrowers to continue their permanent search for quality.

1922 : official delimitation of the Gaillac Appellation area.
1938 : the AOC decree is obtained for white Gaillac.
1970 : the AOC decree is now extended to red and rose Gaillac.

Then, as it was felt that a sign, a brand, was needed (like the marked barrels of the middle-ages), the "Gaillacoise" bottle was created, for the reds as for the whites. Acting as a federating sign, this bottle can only be used by the producers bottling their wines within the Gaillac Appellation area.

And as the story needs a happy ending in these last years of the century, Saint-Michel Abbey has again become the vineyard's coordination centre. It now shelters the Maison de la Vigne et du Vin, thus perpetuating the rich and happy history of wine.

Tradition remains...
972	founding of Saint-Michel Abbey
1271	creation of a Charter of Quality defining the production norms
1922	delimitation of the Appellation area
1938	obtention of the AOC decree for the whites
1970	extention of the AOC decree to the reds and roses