Languedoc
The Languedoc, a contrasting vineyard between the mountains and the Mediterranean
It is both the largest and the oldest vineyard in France. The Languedoc-Roussillon vineyard covers some 240,000 hectares and its origins date back to the 5th century BC. In the Languedoc, 70,000 hectares of vines give rise to a wide range of appellations, the hierarchy of which is in the process of changing. The wine region, once known for its table and mass-produced wines, has undergone a major transformation over the last thirty years. The Languedoc wine offer is now structured with products that find, and prove, their identity and quality.
General presentation of the Languedoc vineyards
In the south of France, the Languedoc vineyards stretch between the Mediterranean Sea and the foothills of the Cévennes. It spreads from west to east between Carcassonne and Nîmes. It thus covers a large part of Occitania with a presence in the departments of Aude, Gard and Hérault.
Here, wine production is largely dominated by reds, at over 70%. The king grape varieties are Syrah, Grenache noir, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. As for the whites, Chardonnay is the leading variety. Many other grape varieties are grown in the Languedoc, as the region has sought to develop local grape varieties adapted to the climate.
The Languedoc vineyards are very extensive and offer a wide range of terroirs, between the sea and the mountains. This gives rise to wines that are very different from one another, available in three colours: red, white and rosé. The region also produces sparkling wines, including the Blanquette de Limoux.
The appellations
There are many different appellations, as the region has a great mosaic of terroirs. For the past thirty years, the Languedoc vineyards have been hierarchically classified in order to structure the production and make it easier to understand. In short, the wines are classified according to a pyramid structure: the generic Languedoc appellation forms the basis. This is followed by the AOC Grands Vins, the heart of the range, and the Crus, the summit of Languedoc wine production. There are also several IGPs.
AOC Languedoc
The wines grouped under this generic AOC constitute the entry level of the regional production. It replaces the appellation Coteaux du Languedoc. The AOC Languedoc is very extensive as it covers the whole of Languedoc-Roussillon, from the Spanish border to the gates of Nîmes. The wines are available in all three colours. The blends are mainly Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsault.
Great wines of the Languedoc
The vineyard produces several great AOC wines:
- AOC Cabardès: this appellation produced above Carcassonne uses grape varieties between the Atlantic (Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec) and the Mediterranean (Syrah, Grenache), for blends which are distinguished by their singularity.
- AOC Clairette du Languedoc: this white wine from the banks of the Hérault river uses exclusively the white clairette.
- AOC Corbières: produced from Carcassonne to Narbonne on steep, sunny slopes. The 1st AOC of the Languedoc region has a wide variety of whites, reds and rosés.
- AOC Faugères: north of Béziers, this AOC is made up of a third of organic wines.
- AOC Fitou: this is the oldest red wine AOC in the Languedoc, produced by the sea and in the Corbières mountains.
- AOC Limoux: in the west of the region, this AOC produces still red and white wines as well as sparkling wines (blanquette and crémant).
- AOC Malepère: to the west of Carcassonne, this appellation produces red and rosé wines, often mass-produced by cooperative cellars.
- AOC Minervois: this renowned appellation is located between Carcassonne and Narbonne and produces wines in all three colours.
- AOC Picpoul de Pinet: here, only one grape variety is used, the white Picpoule. It produces wines that are renowned for being the perfect accompaniment to the oysters of Bouzigues.
- AOC Saint-Chinian, AOC Saint-Chinian Berlou and AOC Saint-Chinian Roquebrun: to the north-west of Béziers, in the Haut Languedoc, this appellation and its two subdivisions produce red, white and rosé wines.
The Languedoc appellation also has several geographical denominations, spread out from Nîmes to Narbonne and passing through Montpellier and Béziers:
- AOC Languedoc - Cabrières
- AOC Languedoc - Grés de Montpellier
- AOC Languedoc - La Méjanelle
- AOC Languedoc - Montpeyroux
- AOC Languedoc - Pézenas
- AOC Languedoc - Quatourze
- AOC Languedoc - Saint-Christol
- AOC Languedoc - Saint-Drézéry
- AOC Languedoc - Saint-Georges-d'Orques
- AOC Languedoc - Saint-Saturnin
- AOC Languedoc - Sommières
Languedoc Crus
The top of the range of Languedoc wine production currently includes a few appellations that are constantly increasing their reputation:
- AOC Corbières-Boutenac: here the black carignan reigns for blended red wines.
- AOC La Clape: just outside Narbonne, in the Aude, this AOC produces white and red wines.
- AOC Minervois-La Livinière: on an arid territory, mainly syrah, mourvèdre and grenache are grown.
- AOC Pic-Saint-Loup: between the Mediterranean and the Cévennes, north of Montpellier, this appellation produces wines renowned for their finesse, especially reds made from syrah, grenache and mourvèdre, as well as rosé wines.
- AOC Terrasses du Larzac: a terroir characterised by its relief and its mix of grenache, mourvèdre, syrah, carignan and cinsault.
Appellations
Saint-Chinian PDO
Saint-Chinian: the Languedoc in red, white and rosé wines
Côteaux-du-Languedoc PDO
PGI Côtes de Thongue
PGI Pays d'Oc
IGP Hauterive
Languedoc la Clape PDO
Faugères PDO
Wines with character that reflect the unique character of their terroir: the Faugères AOC surprises with its personality, full of finesse and nature. This Languedoc appellation is the result of the work of passionate winegrowers who are aware of the need to preserve their environment. Here, farming practices respect biodiversity and already more than a third of the production is carried out in organic and biodynamic agriculture. Great wines of the Languedoc, the Faugères AOC red, rosé and white wines have something to surprise you.
IGP du Gard
Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup PDO
Pic-Saint-Loup, one of the nuggets of the Languedoc
Cabardès PDO
Terrasses du Larzac PDO
Terrasses-du-larzac, one of the most beautiful AOCs in the Languedoc
PGI Côtes Catalanes
IGP Val de Montferrand
Corbières Boutenac PDO
Languedoc Pézenas AOP
Fitou PDO
Fitou, one of the most promising red wines of the Languedoc
IGP de l'Hérault
Corbières PDO
In terms of volume of production, the Corbières AOC is the number one in the Languedoc. With more than 10,000 hectares and 400,000 hl/year, this appellation is indeed a powerful figurehead of the Languedoc vineyards. Between Carcassonne and Narbonne, from the Aude to the Pyrénées-Orientales, the terroirs multiply and the wines diversify. In red, but also in rosé and in white, the Corbières are always wines of character... with a very good quality-price ratio.
Languedoc PDO
Minervois PDO
It is one of the largest appellations in the Languedoc. With 4,400 hectares of vines classified as AOC, the Minervois region produces a wide variety of wines, especially reds, but also rosés and whites. In the Languedoc-Roussillon region, between Carcassonne and Narbonne, the Minervois vineyards stretch from the foothills of the Black Mountain to the banks of the Aude. Dense, round, fruity and balanced, the Minervois AOC will seduce you with its aromatic qualities, its ageing potential and its affordable prices.
Le vignoble
Alain Chabanon
Bertrand-Bergé
"La rigueur et le travail de Jérôme Bertrand, sur les beaux terroirs de Paziols, ont fait du domaine Bertrand-Bergé le modèle à suivre pour toute l'appellation.
Cabrol
"Le domaine de Cabrol est un incontournable dans le paysage de Cabardès. Perché à 350 mètres d'altitude, ce terroir de montagne offre un paysage luxuriant, assez rare en Languedoc.
Christophe Peyrus
Christophe Peyrus, of the famous Clos Marie, is continuing his ascent with the acquisition of this new estate in the Pic Saint-Loup hills at Cazevieille.
Clos Marie
"Ce domaine phare du Pic Saint-Loup est mené de main de maître depuis 1995 par Christophe Peyrus. Figure de l'appellation, le vigneron cultive 22 hectares. Salués pour leur intensité, leur finesse, leur chair et leur distinction, les vins du domaine ne font pourtant pas l'unanimité car certains amateurs sont gênés par les acidités liées à des choix de faible protection des vins.
Hermitage du Pic Saint Loup
Freshness, fruit, complexity and a big favourite for the whole range!
Gauby
Gérard Gauby, the master of Calce, has been pursuing his path to excellence for some thirty years now.
Hortus
Jean-Marie Rimbert
The Baroness
Exceptional value for money and pleasure!
La Garance
"Enfant du pays, Pierre Quinonero, du Domaine de la Garance a pour objectif de produire des vins au caractère méditerranéen, taillés pour la garde. Il a grandi dans les 1,5 hectare de vignes de son grand-père maternel, à quelques kilomètres de Pézenas, au milieu des vignes et de la garrigue. Et c’est à ce même endroit qu’il a bâti de ses mains sa cave et son mas dès 1991.
La Grande des Pères
La Grange des Pères belongs to the very restricted circle of wines that every wine lover would like to have tasted at least once in his or her life, an almost mythical wine, so great is its reputation... The talented winemaker Laurent Vaillé has raised this wine to the top of the Languedoc and beyond.
La Terrasse d'Elise
Xavier Braujou a crée le domaine la Terrasse d'Elise en 1998, en se constituant un vignoble d'une dizaine d'hectares sur les grands terroirs d'Aniane. Ses vignes sont plantées en Carignan, Mourvèdre, Syrah et Cinsault.
La Traversée
The dream of Gavin Crisfield, Irish sommelier and oenologist, took shape in 2009 when he decided to settle in Saint-Privat in the magnificent Terrasses du Larzac. His Traversée is taking shape!
Léon Barral
Didier Barral continues his work begun in the 1990s. On the schists of Lenthéric, he and his brother make wines in search of authenticity that perfectly reflect the typicity of this terroir.
Les Aurelles
Basile Saint-Germain and his wife join the elite of the rare triple starred wines of the Revue du Vin de France in Languedoc; Mas Jullien and Peyre Rose...
Les Creisses
The Domaine Languedocien des Creisses is located in Valros, 6km from Pézenas. Philippe Chesnelong has been trying to produce a great Mediterranean wine since 1998. Mission accomplished, since we can say that he even produces two!
Les Vignes Oubliées
"Une poignée des meilleurs vignerons du Languedoc, hélas trop peu, redécouvrent les vertus du cinsault, un vieux cépage dont on a fait des citernes de rosés, au demeurant parfois bons. Vinifié en rouge, c'est assurément le vin de soif par excellence et sa buvabilité hors pair peut se conjuguer, quand il est bien traité, à une profondeur étonnante.
Mas Cal Demoura
"Vincent Goumard, venu du conseil financier, a repris avec son épouse Isabelle cette propriété de Jonquières, en Terrasses du Larzac, qui appartenait au père d'Olivier Jullien.
Mas de la Séranne
Mas de la Seranne - Aniane from Altaïr-Prod on Vimeo .
Mas Jullien
"Installé à Jonquières à l'ouest de Montpellier, Olivier Jullien, référence incontestée et incontestable, est parvenu avec intuition et intelligence à hisser au plus haut le niveau qualitatif des vins de la région et a entraîné derrière lui toute une génération de jeunes vignerons.
Maxime Magnon
"Installé depuis plus de dix ans à son compte, Maxime Magnon a été influencé par l’école beaujolaise (macérations à froid, utilisation minimale du soufre). Il a su intelligemment garder le meilleur de cette approche pour définir un style aujourd’hui parfaitement en place, toujours caractérisé par sa grande digestibilité, doté d’une finesse de texture et d’une précision de saveurs remarquables.
Montcalmès
Frédéric Pourtalié has become a Languedoc icon. The Montcalmès vineyard covers an area of 23 hectares today; Syrah and Grenache on a limestone plateau and Mourvèdre on rolled pebbles. A blend has been produced since 1999, the one that made the reputation of the Domaine. It is aged for twenty-four months in barrels, in the purest tradition without fining or filtration, a cuvée of unfailing regularity.
Peyre Rose
"S'il fallait donner synonyme à Peyre Rose, ce serait sûrement mille et une nuits tant les finales sont envoûtantes.
Pierre Vaïsse
One of the greatest winemakers of tomorrow. Installed in Puechabon and inspired by his friends Frédéric Pourtalié and Laurent Vaillé of the Grange des Pères, Pierre Vaisse is already producing wines that are part of the Languedoc elite, wines with a great identity, signed by long maturation that gives them great purity, in a style infused with a very high level.
Roc d'Anglade
Saint Sylvestre
The Saint Sylvestre estate, which takes its name from the church in Puéchabon where the first vines were historically planted, is located north of Aniane in the heart of the famous Terrasses du Larzac.
Rostaing
"C’est l’un des plus importants domaines de Côte rôtie, notamment depuis que René Rostaing a repris la production du vignoble de son beau-père, Albert Dervieux. Le savoir-faire du vinificateur est certain. René Rostaing [et désormais Pierre Rostaing] produit des vins toujours parfaitement construits, ne manquant ni de structure ni de finesse.
Barthassade
Duo tout terrain, le couple formé par Hélène et Guillaume a produit son premier millésime en 2014 dans ce projet personnel qui s’étend désormais sur 13,25 hectares.
Mas des Chimères
"Situé en bordure du lac de Salagou, ce joli domaine repose sur deux géologies distinctes, une terre rouge composée d'argilo-calcaires ferrugineux et des plateaux basaltiques.