Isabelle, jacquez, herbemont, clinton, noah and othello are the 6 damned. These 6 forbidden cepages don’t have any rights anymore. Resistance and overproduction caused their loss…

When Emile Cassez, Minister of Agriculture, suggests to cut some cepages in 1934, “90% of the Congressmen had never heard talk of these cepages” according to the wine lover Freddy Couderc. Especially as the vote takes place the 24th of December, namely the day before Christmas. Let’s just say that the Congressmen rushed to go… Then, the Isabelle is the first choice, and come all the hybridisation from the american vines: noah, othello and clinton. This choice confirms the M. Couderc’s thought in the program “Terre à Terre”: the pressure of the chemicals factories is real because the aramon, for example, produces abundantly but needs a lot of chemicals treatments, and was not forbidden. And to support their decisions, the Congressmen assure that the wines from these cepages drive “crazy and blind”.  Their production of methyl alcohol would be too high. Legend, rumor or truth, whatever it be, they are forbidden !

But if you count well, two are missing: jacquez and herbemont. According to , it could be a politic move. Edouard Daladier, the old and futur Council’s President, is in the opposition. Then, the majority votes the ban of jacquez, ubiquitous cepage in the Vaucluse, the Daladier’s department. Likewise for herbemont, important cepage of Aude, Albert Sarrault’s department, old and futur Council’s President too. So, among the 6 cepages, 2 are banned to…annoy the opposition !!! Then, the French has to declare, deliberatly, their production and snatch it. We estimate the production of these cepages at 3 millions hectolitres (it means 60 000 hectares) in 1934, then 2 millions in 1938 and 220 000 in 1945. So, the politicians are glad of their success and the good faith of the French…until the shock of 1953. A land register is organised. As a result: more than 60 000 hectares of forbidden cepages are found. Nothing was snatched since 1934 !!! Actually, apart from the personal production, these wines were sold to the black market during the Occupation because, in that restriction period, the main thing was to drink and to eat.

But everything changes in the 1960’s as explains Pierre Galet, in the same program of December 2012. A Minister of the Finance, a certain Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, encourages the wrenching with a bonus of 150 000 francs. But a letter from his Inspector of Finance triggers a rebellion. He explains that the farmers expose themselves to sanctions, that these cepages produce a bad wine and are “relics of the past”. The catholics religious rise up against this letter, think about an attack against the Church from the government and forbid to snatch. But even worse, they burn the Senator’s car of the Vendée and lock up him. A real chuan’s revolt ! They make a phone call to the prefect to confirm that the Senator has to leave the area if he wants to see him alive ! No death, he is released and this Senator will end as…Tour d’Argent’s sommelier Finally, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing increases the fine to 300 000 francs, and the majority of the forbidden cepages is snatched…or almost…