AI-generated illustration
PGI — Label Rouge — Poitou-Charentes
"Agneau du Poitou-Charentes embodies a thousand years of pastoralism in the Atlantic bocage, where sheep and pastures form an age-old ballet."
Lamb from Poitou-Charentes, PGI (IGP) since 2004.
AI-generated illustration
Sheep farming is an ancient tradition in Poitou-Charentes, sustained by the Atlantic bocage and its abundant natural grasslands — a grazing terroir ideally suited to extensive rearing. Yet it was in the 20th century that this pastoral tradition became structured into an organised, certified supply chain.
It was the GIE Ovin du Centre-Ouest, bringing together producer groups and slaughterhouses, that structured the supply chain: in 1983, it launched the commercial brand 'Agneau du Poitou-Charentes'. The product was granted a Product Conformity Certificate in 2002, followed by PGI status in 2004, protecting its specification.
That same year, 1983, producer groups from the Centre-Ouest founded the Association pour la Promotion de l'Agneau de Pays, which became the ADPAP (Association pour la Défense et la Promotion des Agneaux Certifiés en Poitou-Charentes) in 2008. Based in Montmorillon (Vienne), it is today the Organisme de Défense et de Gestion recognised by the INAO for the PGI and for the Label Rouge 'Le Diamandin'. The latter, championed by the same farmers seeking an official mark of quality before the advent of European PGIs, saw its standards specification (LA-17/93) approved by the INAO in 1994 under the collective mark 'Le Diamandin'. External audits for both schemes are carried out by the independent certification body QUALISUD, alongside internal checks by the ADPAP.
AI-generated illustration
The PGI specification (like that of the Label Rouge) limits breeding to seven meat breeds and their crosses: Vendéen, Rouge de l'Ouest, Charollais, Charmoise, Texel, Suffolk, and Île-de-France.
The lamb must be born and reared on the same holding located in Poitou-Charentes or its neighbouring cantons; ewes graze for a minimum of 7 months a year. It is suckled on maternal milk for at least 60 days, then fed on grass and forage produced exclusively within the PGI area, supplemented with approved non-GMO feed. Slaughter age is limited to a maximum of 300 days for the PGI; for the Label Rouge 'Le Diamandin', it ranges from 60 to 210 days for uncastrated males (up to 270 days for females and castrated males at the end of the year).
Traceability relies on an official identification ear tag fitted from birth and a lambing log kept by the farmer (recording date and genetic origin). At slaughter, an individual number is assigned to each carcass, which appears on the Certificat de Garantie et d'Origine stapled to the selected cuts.
Appearance
Meat ranging from light red to tender pink depending on age (milk lamb of 30–40 kg: pink meat, suckling lamb). Creamy-white fat, well distributed throughout the meat (good marbling). Overall appearance: fine, uniform meat, without a trace of yellow fat (a sign of ageing).
Aroma
Mild and delicate, reminiscent of milk and pasture grasses. No strong or unpleasant odour (a sign of good feeding). Once cooked, a complex aroma: roasted herbs, subtle nutty notes, unrivalled aromatic finesse.
Taste
Sweet, mild flavour with a progressive rise in lamb character, never aggressive. Tender, succulent meat that melts in the mouth. Exceptional aromatic finesse, evoking dried hay, pasture herbs (creeping thyme, wild thyme), toasted almond. No metallic or rancid aftertaste.
Texture
Extremely tender, fine-grained fibre, easy to carve with a knife (raw). After cooking: yields easily without crumbling, retains its juices well, no drying out.
ewes graze for a minimum of 7 months a year, characteristic of the region's extensive farming system.
the lamb is suckled on maternal milk for at least 60 days.
it is then fed on grass and forage produced exclusively in the PGI area, supplemented with approved non-GMO feed.
AI-generated illustration
Agneau du Poitou-Charentes can be cooked in a myriad of ways, from simply roasting in the oven to the most elaborate preparations. Its aromatic finesse calls for delicate cooking, avoiding overly heavy sauces that would mask its subtlety.
Since: 2004
Area covered: Poitou-Charentes and neighbouring cantons: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Dordogne, Indre, Indre-et-Loire, Maine-et-Loire, Deux-Sèvres, Vendée, Vienne, Haute-Vienne
Key requirements: INAO Protected Geographical Indication — 7 months of grazing minimum, 7 authorised breeds, slaughter ≤ 300 days, full traceability
Reference: CCP dès 2002.
Since: 1994
Area covered: Poitou-Charentes and neighbouring cantons: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Dordogne, Indre, Indre-et-Loire, Maine-et-Loire, Deux-Sèvres, Vendée, Vienne, Haute-Vienne
Key requirements: GIE Ovin du Centre-Ouest supply chain — Superior taste quality standard, regular sensory tests, slaughter ≤ 210-270 days depending on the animals
Traceability is based on an official identification ear tag fitted from birth, a lambing log kept by the farmer, and an individual slaughter number per carcass, found on the Certificat de Garantie et d'Origine stapled to the selected cuts. Compliance with both specifications is verified through regular external inspections by the independent certifying body QUALISUD, supplemented by internal checks by the ADPAP.
Association
Cooperative
Get listed and reach more lovers of regional produce.
Request a listing
