The red wine variety Brun Argenté has been known for over 500 years, especially in the southern Rhone, but under different names. In the 16th century it was called Vaccarèse, probably named after the small town of Vaccarèse not far from Avignon, where it is believed to have originated. Brun Argenté was first mentioned under the name Camarèse in 1806. However, it is not known when this grape variety finally got its current name. The name Brun Argenté suggests, on the one hand, the very dark color of the grapes, where Brun probably stands for "brown", as well as the silvery shade of the leaves of the vine. The Brun Argenté has large grapes with large berries and prefers very warm, dry locations with barren, less fertile soils, especially since it is particularly susceptible to black and sour rot. For good quality, the variety requires consistent pruning. Today there are only a few hectares left in production, spread between Gard on the southern Rhone and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where it is an expressly permitted grape variety but is hardly used. Only top producers such as Château de Beaucastel use it in their cuvées. It can also play a role in cuvées for rosé wine. However, it is not developed as a pure variety.
This grape variety is also known by the name of:
Argenteuil, Arzhente, Bakarezo, Bryun, Camares du Gard, Camarèse, Camarèzo, Cinsaut 2, Kamaredyu Gard, Kamarez, Madeleine, Vaccareso, Vacarèze Blanc, Vaccarèse, Vakarez
