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Languedoc and Roussillon form the largest wine region of France. It seemingly endless vineyards lay on a 220-by-50 km area between the cities of Nîmes and Perpignan, along the Gulf of Lion in the Mediterranean Sea.
The region includes the administrative départements of Gard (30), Hérault (34), Aude (11) and Pyrénées-Orientales (66).
edit Tasting
edit Facts and figures
- Varietals (Red): Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon...
- Varietals (White): Grenache Blanc, Macabeu, Muscat, Malvoisie du Roussillon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Marsanne, Vermentino...
edit History
Ancient Greeks are suspected to have first brought vine in this region, but only with the Roman conquest did it become a major culture. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Benedictans and Cistercian monks from local monasteries and abbeys maintained viticulture for the next centuries.
Languedoc-Roussillon was barely affected by the phyloxera epidemic of the late 19th century, however it beneficted from the ensuing price escalation, quickly enriching local vintners. A severe crisis soon followed, due to over-production and a drop in value. The French government later introduced the AOC appellation system to prevent this kind of crisis.
Wines from this region have long suffered a bad reputation. For the last three decades, local vintners made numerous investments, changed their choice of varietals, and greatly reduced their yield to reach a higher quality. Languedoc-Roussillon now offers many AOC appellations with wines of indisputable quality.
edit Geography
Soils of Languedoc-Roussillon greatly vary from one appellation to another, with shale in Saint-Chinian, Minervois, Corbières and Faugères, limestone in "Clairettes" and Coteaux du Languedoc, molasse in Malepère, marl in Cabardès, and clay in Limoux.
There is a real hotch potch of terroirs often within the same appellations. St Chinian for example carries both rocky, schisty slopes and more conventional fields next to each other.
Some terroirs are right by the sea (Picpoul de Pinet), others inland. Some in the plains, some in the hills. Hence a massive variety of wines.
edit Climate
Climate is rather hot for France. Languedoc is significantly hotter than Bordeaux, and shares similarities with the Rhône Valley. It is also more regularly sunny. There is less variation year on year than in other French regions, although vintage is still relevant: for example, it still holds true that, say, 2003 was freakishly hot and this affected the wines, just as this is the case for Bordeaux.
This region enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with hot and dry summers, and warm falls and springs. Winters are cool but sunny, and almost never reach freezing temperatures. Precipitations are among the lowest in France, and the ever-present "cers", a local name for the wind from inland, helps dry vines and prevent diseases. In a few words, it is an ideal winegrowing climate.
edit Viticulture
edit See also
