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Languedoc Wines : Key Points

Due to its proximity to the Mediterranean, the history of the Languedoc vineyard, like many southern vineyards, is closely entwined with the Greeks, the Phoceans and the Romans. As early as the 8th century B.C., vines were cultivated by the Greeks who appreciated the region's position between the sea and the mountains. Then, during the Roman Empire, several emperors successively restructured the vineyard, leading to a very fine expansion.

In the medieval era, the exploitation of the vineyards fell into the hands of the clergy and the monks set about maintaining the land as best they could. Unfortunately, phylloxera and numerous crises, including the winegrowers' revolt of 1907, seriously affected the Languedoc-Roussillon vineyards, thus affecting the quality of the wines.

Around thirty years ago, a real revolution occurred: a generation of passionate winegrowers set out to restore the wines of the Languedoc to their former glory. To do so, they favoured hillside vineyards and embarked on a lot of hard work and experimentation to better understand their terroir.

This long-term project enabled them to do justice to the land of Languedoc-Roussillon, ideally situated between the Massif Central, the foothills of the Eastern Pyrenees and the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, 9% of the total vineyard area is entirely farmed using organic practices, making the Languedoc vineyard the largest organically farmed vineyard in France.

Thanks to them, Languedoc wines have been able to assert their identity and once again enjoy a well-deserved reputation. With a strong emphasis on finesse and freshness, they delight the taste buds of all wine lovers.

To protect the quality of their wines as well as the prestige of their names, a system of appellations has been set up. Today there are 38 appellations and denominations to classify red, white and rosé wines according to very exacting criteria. From Coteaux du Languedoc to Clairette-du-Languedoc, including Terrasses du Larzac, Limoux, Pic-Saint-Loup, Faugères, Minervois and others, the Languedoc has no less than 23 AOCs, 13 regional denominations and 2 PGIs.

Among the emblematic grape varieties of these appellations, the red and rosé wines comprise Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Syrah and the Grenache Noir. For white wines, Marsanne, Roussanne, Clairette Blanche, Rolle, Bourboulenc and Viognier. However, more distinctive grape varieties often complement Languedoc wines to give them an utterly unique identity.