Definition: Moissac AOC

A generous soil, a sunny region with gentle slopes. Cultivated in Midi-Pyrénées since the 19th century, on clay-limestone hillsides facing south and south-west, Chasselas de Moissac AOC covers a limited area stretching from the south of the Lot department to the north of Tarn-et-Garonne: the Chasselas terroir. This grape is not used to produce wine, but is distributed as a table grape.

Origin:

Since 1971, Chasselas de Moissac has been recognised as a product with an official quality label: Appellation Origine Contrôlée (AOC). Long grouped together under an interprofessional association, since 1998, following a request from the INAO (Institut National des Appellations d'Origine), producers have been brought together within a trade union. The primary purpose of the syndicate is to defend the AOC product and its producers. It also provides technical support, develops and manages the product's communication plan, and works on packaging and merchandising. It has no commercial commitments of its own with regard to its member producers. In this respect, the syndicate only intervenes, if necessary, as a forum for discussion and proposals, and only within a collective framework. The Syndicat de Défense AOC Chasselas de Moissac represents 330 member producers, from among whom delegates are elected for a three-year term. They form the Board of Directors, which elects nine producers from among its members to form its executive committee.

All guidelines and major areas of work are defined and approved by the Board of Directors. The aim of these actions is to maintain and even increase quality production that is profitable for all producers in order to promote a product that meets consumer expectations.

Sales channels:

The 330 producers of Chasselas de Moissac AOC cover a total of 660 hectares, representing 3,100 tonnes of production. They have various options for selling their produce: at the market; directly to a private sales organisation; through cooperatives; or by shipping their produce themselves. In this case, they are both producers and shippers. There are around 30 to 40 commercial operators (private shippers and cooperatives) in the region. Forty per cent of production goes to wholesalers who supply retailers, and the remaining 60 per cent is purchased by large retailers. Information on the website: