Languedoc-Roussillon wine, including the ''

vin de pays ''Vin de pays'' (, "country wine") was a French wine classification that was above the '' vin de table'' classification, but below the '' appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) classification and below the former '' vin délimité de qualit� ...

'' labeled ''Vin de Pays d'Oc'', is produced in southern France. While "Languedoc" can refer to a specific historic region of France and Northern Catalonia, usage since the 20th century (especially in the context of wine) has primarily referred to the northern part of the Languedoc-Roussillon région of France, an area which spans the Mediterranean coastline from the French border with Spain to the region of Provence. The area has around under vines and is the single biggest

wine-producing region This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant growing regions where vineyards are planted. Wine grapes mostly grow between the 30th and the 50th degree of latitude, in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Grapes will sometimes ...

in the world, being responsible for more than a third of France's total wine production.K. MacNeil ''The Wine Bible'' p. 293 Workman Publishing 2001 In 2001, the region produced more wine than the United States.K. MacNeil ''The Wine Bible'' p. 294 Workman Publishing 2001

History

The history of Languedoc wines can be traced to the first vineyards planted along the coast near Narbonne by the early Greeks in the fifth century BC. Along with parts of Provence, these are the oldest planted vineyards in France. The region of Languedoc has belonged to France since the thirteenth century and the Roussillon was acquired from Spain in the mid-seventeenth century. The two regions were joined as one administrative region in the late 1980s. From the 4th century through the 18th and early 19th centuries, the Languedoc had a reputation for producing high quality wine. In Paris during the 14th century, wines from the St. Chinian area were prescribed in hospitals for their "healing powers".K. MacNeil ''The Wine Bible'' p. 295 Workman Publishing 2001 During the advent of the Industrial Age in the late 19th century, production shifted towards mass-produced ''le gros rouge''—cheap red wine that could satisfy the growing work force. The use of highly prolific grape varieties produced high yields and thin wines, which were normally blended with red wine from

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

to give them more body.Assorted Editors ''The Pocket Wine Guide'' p. 84 Barnes & Noble, 2006 The

phylloxera Grape phylloxera is an insect pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America. Grape phylloxera (''Daktulosphaira vitifoliae'' (Fitch 1855) belong to the family Phylloxeridae, within the order Hemiptera, bugs ...

epidemic in the 19th century severely affected the Languedoc wine industry, killing off many of the higher quality '' Vitis vinifera'' that were susceptible to the louse. American rootstock that was naturally resistant to phylloxera did not take well to the limestone soil on the hillside. In place of these vines, acres of the lower quality Aramon,

Alicante Bouschet Alicante Bouschet or Alicante Henri Bouschet is a wine grape variety that has been widely cultivated since 1866. It is a cross of Petit Bouschet (itself a cross of the very old variety Teinturier du Cher and Aramon) and Grenache.Carignan were planted.C. Fallis, editor ''The Encyclopedic Atlas of Wine'' p. 205 Global Book Publishing 2006 During both

World Wars A world war is an international conflict which involves all or most of the world's major powers. Conventionally, the term is reserved for two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World WarI (1914 ...

the Languedoc was responsible for providing the daily wine rations given to French soldiers. In 1962, Algeria gained its independence from France, bringing about an end to the blending of the stronger Algerian red wine to mask the thin ''le gros rouge''. This event, coupled with French consumers moving away from cheap red wines in the 1970s, has contributed to several decades of surplus wine production in France, with Languedoc as the largest contributor to the European " wine lake" and recurring European Union subsidies aimed at reducing production. These developments prompted many Languedoc producers to start refocusing on higher quality, but has also led to many local and regional protests, including violent ones from the infamous

Comité Régional d'Action Viticole Comité Régional d'Action Viticole (CRAV, ''Regional Committee for Viticultural Action''), or sometimes Comité d'action viticole (CAV, Committee for Viticultural Action) is a group of militant French wine producers. It has claimed responsibili ...

(CRAV). Despite the general reputation as a mass producer and a consensus that the region is in the midst of an economic crisis, parts of the Languedoc wine industry are experiencing commercial success due to outside investment and an increased focus on quality. Sales have been improved by many vineyards that concentrate on creating a good brand name rather than relying on the sometimes infamous regional designations. Some vineyards have adopted the youngest batch of AOC classifications developed in the late 1990s, while other vineyards eschew designated blends entirely and are instead shifting toward bottling single

varietal wines A varietal wine is a wine made primarily from a single named grape variety, and which typically displays the name of that variety on the wine label.The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, 2000.winepros.com.au. ...

, a practice increasingly demanded by consumers in the large New World wine market.K. MacNeil ''The Wine Bible'' pp. 294–96 Workman Publishing 2001 Languedoc-Roussillon map

Climate and geography

The Languedoc-Roussillon region shares many terrain and climate characteristics with the neighboring regions of Southern Rhône and Provence. The region stretches from the

Banyuls AOC Banyuls is a French ''appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) for a fortified apéritif or dessert wine made from old vines cultivated in terraces on the slopes of the Catalan Pyrenees in the Roussillon county of France, bordering, to the s ...

at the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

border and Pyrenees in the west, along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to the river Rhône and Provence in the east. The northern boundaries of the region sit on the

Massif Central The (; oc, Massís Central, ; literally ''"Central Massif"'') is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France. Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,00 ...

with the

Cévennes The Cévennes ( , ; oc, Cevenas) is a cultural region and range of mountains in south-central France, on the south-east edge of the Massif Central. It covers parts of the ''départements'' of Ardèche, Gard, Hérault and Lozère. Rich in geogr ...

mountain ranges and valleys dominating the area. Many vineyards are located along the river Hérault.Kim Marcu
Languedoc Wakes Up
Wine Spectator March 31, 2000 Vinepyrennees2

Vineyards in the Languedoc are generally planted along the coastal plains of the Mediterranean while those in the Roussillon are to be found in the narrow valleys around the Pyrenees. The peak growing season (between May and August) is very dry and the majority of annual rainfall occurs during the winter. In the Languedoc, the plains area is the most arid and hottest region of France. The region's Mediterranean climate is very conducive to growing a large amount of a wide variety of grapes, with vintners in the area excelling in mass production. The average annual temperature is . The ''tramontane'' inland wind from the northwest often accentuates the dry climate; drought is the most common threat to vine production, with French AOC and European Union regulation prohibiting the use of irrigation.C. Fallis, editor ''The Encyclopedic Atlas of Wine'' p. 204 Global Book Publishing 2006 In December 2006, the French government responded to global warming concerns and relaxed some of the irrigation regulations. In 1999 severe weather had damaging effects on the wine producing industry, including

hail Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It is distinct from ice pellets (American English "sleet"), though the two are often confused. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is called a hailstone. Ice pellets generally fal ...

storms in May that affected Roussillon and a rain surge in mid November that saw a year's worth of rain fall in 36 hours in the areas of Corbières and

Minervois Minervois is an AOC in the Languedoc-Roussillon wine region, in the departments of the Aude and of the Herault. Historically, the region's capital has been the village of Minerve. AOC regulations require the wine to be blended (at least 2 vari ...

in the western Languedoc. The composition of soil in the Languedoc varies from the chalk, limestone and gravel based soils inland to more alluvial soils near the coast. Some of the more highly rated vineyards are laid on top of ancient riverbed stones similar to those of

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Châteauneuf-du-Pape (; Provençal: Castèu-Nòu-De-Papo) is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southeastern France. The village lies about to the east of the Rhône and north of the town of ...

.K. MacNeil ''The Wine Bible'' p. 297 Workman Publishing 2001

Appellations

The five best known appellations in the Languedoc include Languedoc AOC (formerly known as the

Coteaux du Languedoc Languedoc-Roussillon wine, including the ''vin de pays'' labeled ''Vin de Pays d'Oc'', is produced in southern France. While "Languedoc" can refer to a specific historic region of France and Northern Catalonia, usage since the 20th century (espe ...

Corbières AOC Corbières is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) for wine in the Languedoc-Roussillon, France, and it is this region's largest AOC, responsible for 46 per cent of the region's AOC wine production in 2005. Red wine dominates the producti ...

, Faugères,

Minervois AOC Minervois is an AOC in the Languedoc-Roussillon wine region, in the departments of the Aude and of the Herault. Historically, the region's capital has been the village of Minerve. AOC regulations require the wine to be blended (at least 2 vari ...

, and

Saint-Chinian AOC {{no footnotes, date=March 2013 The Saint-Chinian is a French wine, from the Languedoc-Roussillon wine region of France. It is usually a blend of several grape varieties, and produced in red, rosé, and white versions. Since 1982, the name is pr ...

s. The vast majority of Languedoc wines are produced by wine

cooperatives A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-contro ...

which number more than 500.K. MacNeil ''The Wine Bible'' p. 299 Workman Publishing 2001 However, the appellation system in the region is undergoing considerable changes with both new appellations being created and existing ones changing. One recent change is that the Coteaux du Languedoc has changed name to Languedoc and been extended to include also the Roussillon. Within the larger Languedoc AOC appellations are several sub-districts, or Cru's, with distinct wine styles of their own. Some of these sub-districts have pending AOC applications to become appellations in their own right and some have been granted sub-appellations to the umbrella appellation Languedoc AOC. These include the Quatourze, La Clape, Montpeyroux, St. Saturnin, Picpoul de Pinet,

Terrasses du Larzac Terrasses du Larzac is an Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) within the Côteaux du Languedoc in Southern France ( French Occitania ) created in 2005 for red wines made from Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre grapes, with the acceptable additions ...

, and Pic St.-Loup.K. MacNeil ''The Wine Bible'' p. 300 Workman Publishing 2001 The boundary of the eastern Languedoc with the Southern Rhône Valley wine region was moved slightly in 2004, with the result that Costières de Nîmes AOC is now a Rhône appellation rather than a Languedoc one. In that year, INAO moved the responsibility for oversight of this appellation's wine to the regional committee of the Rhône valley. Local producers of Côtes du Rhône-styled wines made from Syrah and

Grenache Grenache () or Garnacha () is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. Niels Lillelund: ''Rhône-Vinene'' p. 25, JP Bøger – JP/Politikens Forlagshus A/S, 2004. . It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditi ...

lobbied for this change since the local winemaking traditions did not coincide with administrative borders, and presumably due to the greater prestige of Rhône wines in the marketplace. Such changes of borders between wine regions are very rare, so out of habit, Costières de Nîmes remains listed as a Languedoc wine in many publications.

Grapes

The Languedoc-Roussillon area is home to numerous grape varieties, including many

international varieties An international variety is a grape variety that is widely planted in most of the major wine producing regions and has widespread appeal and consumer recognition. These are grapes that are highly likely to appear on wine labels as varietal wines a ...

like Merlot,

Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon () is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Leban ...

, Sauvignon blanc, and

Chardonnay Chardonnay (, , ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For ne ...

. The traditional Rhône grapes of Mourvedre, Grenache, Syrah, and

Viognier Viognier () is a white wine grape variety. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhône Valley.J. Robinson ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition pg 754 Oxford University Press 2006 Outside of the Rhô ...

are also prominent.K. MacNeil ''The Wine Bible'' p. 298 Workman Publishing 2001 Chardonnay is a major white grape, used in the ''Vin de Pays d'Oc'' and the sparkling Crémant de Limoux. Others include Chenin blanc and Mauzac, which is also the principal grape in the sparkling

Blanquette de Limoux Limoux wine is produced around the city of Limoux in Languedoc in southwestern France. Limoux wine is produced under four ''Appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) designations: Blanquette de Limoux, Blanquette méthode ancestrale, Crémant de ...

. The sweet

fortified wine Fortified wine is a wine to which a distilled spirit, usually brandy, has been added. In the course of some centuries, winemakers have developed many different styles of fortified wine, including port, sherry, madeira, Marsala, Commanda ...

s of the

Muscat de Frontignan Muscat ( ar, مَسْقَط, ) is the capital and most populated city in Oman. It is the seat of the Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the total population of Muscat Governorate was ...

and Muscat de St-Jean Minervois regions are made with the

Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains Muscat ( ar, مَسْقَط, ) is the capital and most populated city in Oman. It is the seat of the Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the total population of Muscat Governorate was ...

grapes. In the

Muscat de Rivesaltes AOC Muscat de Rivesaltes is an '' Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée'' (AOC) for fortified wines (of the type ''vin doux naturel'') made in the Roussillon wine region of France. They are similar to Rivesaltes AOC wines, except for the grape varieties u ...

, fortified wines are made from

Muscat of Alexandria Muscat of Alexandria is a white wine grape that is a member of the Muscat family of ''Vitis vinifera''. It is considered an "ancient vine", and wine experts believe it is one of the oldest genetically unmodified vines still in existence.J. Robi ...

grapes. Among the reds, Grenache, Syrah, Carignan,

Cinsault Cinsaut or Cinsault ( ) is a red wine grape whose heat tolerance and productivity make it important in Languedoc-Roussillon and the former French colonies of Algeria, Lebanon, and Morocco. It is often blended with grapes such as Grenache and C ...

, and Mourvedre are major grapes of the Corbières, Faugères, Fitou, and

AOCs. Cinsault is also commonly used in rosé production along with

Lladoner Pelut Grenache () or Garnacha () is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. Niels Lillelund: ''Rhône-Vinene'' p. 25, JP Bøger – JP/Politikens Forlagshus A/S, 2004. . It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditi ...

, Piquepoul noir,

Terret noir Terret noir is a dark-skinned French wine grape variety grown primarily in the Rhône valley region of France. It is a mutation of the old ''Vitis vinifera'' vine Terret.J. Robinson ''Jancis Robinson's Guide to Wine Grapes'' pg 184 Oxford Unive ...

, and Grenache. Grenache is also the main grape used in the fortified wines of the

Banyuls Banyuls-sur-Mer (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. It was first settled by Greeks starting in 400 BCE. Geography Location Banyuls-sur-Mer is located in the canton of La Côte Vermeille and in the ar ...

and Rivesaltes region. Some of the oldest vines in France are Carignan grapes. Winemakers often use

carbonic maceration Carbonic maceration is a winemaking technique, often associated with the French wine region of Beaujolais, in which whole grapes are fermented in a carbon dioxide rich environment before crushing. Conventional alcoholic fermentation involves cru ...

to soften the

tannin Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids. The term ''tannin'' (from Anglo-Norman ''tanner'', ...

s.J. Robinson ''Jancis Robinson's Wine Course'' p. 199 Abbeville Press 2003 Other varieties that can be found include

Roussanne Roussanne is a white wine grape grown originally in the Rhône wine region in France, where it is often blended with Marsanne. It is the only other white variety, besides Marsanne, allowed in the northern Rhône appellations of Crozes-Hermitage ...

Marsanne Marsanne is a white wine grape, most commonly found in the Northern Rhône region. It is often blended with Roussanne. In Savoie the grape is known as ''grosse roussette''. Outside France it is also grown in Switzerland (where it is known as ...

Vermentino Vermentino is a light-skinned wine grape variety, primarily found in Italian wine. It is widely planted in both Sardinia and Liguria, to some extent in Corsica, in Piedmont under the name Favorita, and in increasing amounts in Languedoc-Roussillo ...

Bourboulenc Bourboulenc is a white wine grape variety primarily grown in southern France. The variety is found in the regions Southern Rhône, Provence and Languedoc. Bourboulenc is a late-ripening grape variety with tight bunches of large grapes, that ...

Clairette blanche Clairette blanche is a white wine grape variety most widely grown in the wine regions of Provence, Rhône and Languedoc in France. At the end of the 1990s, there were of Clairette blanche grown in France, although volumes are decreasing. ...

Grenache blanc Grenache blanc (also known as garnatxa blanca in Catalonia) is a variety of white wine grape that is related to the red grape Grenache. It is mostly found in Rhône wine blends and in northeast Spain. Its wines are characterized by high alcohol a ...

, Grenache gris, Piquepoul blanc, Piquepoul gris, and

Macabeo Macabeo, also called Viura or Macabeu (, ), is a white variety of wine grape. It is widely grown in the Rioja region of northeastern Spain, the Cava producing areas south of Barcelona, and the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. Spanish ...

Wines and taxonomy

Wines from the Languedoc can carry an enormous number of names, ranging from broad regional designations like Vin de Pays d'Oc to very specific geographical classifications with restrictions on grape variety, like Corbières and Minervois. Since the 1990s, the INAO has been creating smaller AOC classifications which take into account the intricate

microclimates A microclimate (or micro-climate) is a local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often with a slight difference but sometimes with a substantial one. The term may refer to areas as small as a few squa ...

and soil variations in the Languedoc-Roussillon. Younger appellations like the Cabardes and subregions like Minervois la Livinière, Corbières-Boutenac and St-Chinian-Berlou are much smaller in scope. While these new appellations have been praised for consistently improving their product, others have criticized the additions for further complicating an already esoteric system of classification. The majority of wine produced in the Languedoc are labeled ''

vin ordinaire Table wine (rarely abbreviated TW) is a wine term with two different meanings: a style of wine and a quality level within wine classification. In the United States, the term primarily designates a wine style: an ordinary wine which is not fortif ...

''. There is also sizable production of ''

Vins Doux Naturels Fortified wine is a wine to which a distilled spirit, usually brandy, has been added. In the course of some centuries, winemakers have developed many different styles of fortified wine, including port, sherry, madeira, Marsala, Commanda ...

''.H. Johnson & J. Robinson ''The World Atlas of Wine'' p. 138 Mitchell Beazley Publishing 2005

Vins de Pays

The introduction of the ''

vins de pays ''Vin de pays'' (, "country wine") was a French wine classification that was above the ''vin de table'' classification, but below the '' appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) classification and below the former ''vin délimité de qualité ...

,'' a classification produced under less stringent regulations than those of an AOC, opened up the Languedoc wine industry to the labeling of varietal wines and the blending of international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Chardonnay. Examples include Vin de pays d'Oc, Vin de pays d'Aude, Vin de pays de l'Hérault, and Vin de Pays du Gard. Winemakers such as Guy Anderson, Thierry Boudinaud and E. & J. Gallo Winery capitalized on this new horizon, producing wines like

Fat Bastard Fat Bastard is a fictional character in the second and third films of the ''Austin Powers'' series. A morbidly obese henchman hailing from Clydebank, Scotland, Fat Bastard serves Dr. Evil in his quest to destroy Austin Powers. The character i ...

and Red Bicyclette.G. Taber ''The Judgment of Paris: California vs France'' p. 286 Simon & Schuster

Vins Doux Naturels

'' are "naturally sweet" wines that have been

fortified A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere' ...

with brandy to stop fermentation, leaving residual sugar to add sweetness to the wine. The majority of Languedoc sweet white wines are made with a variety of

Muscat Muscat ( ar, مَسْقَط, ) is the capital and most populated city in Oman. It is the seat of the Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the total population of Muscat Governorate was ...

grapes. The red fortified wines of the Banyuls are made from Grenache grapes, normally have an alcohol level between 16 and 17% and carry residual sugars in the 8 to 12% range.K. MacNeil ''The Wine Bible'' p. 301 Workman Publishing 2001 In Banyuls, winemakers use various methods to "bake" their wines to encourage deep raisin colors. Some winemakers utilize a solera system of transporting the wine among different size barrels of various ages that are left out in the sun to warm. Others will put the wine in large glass jars to expose it to direct sunlight. In addition to the dark color, the resulting wines often have a nutty, rancid taste called ''rancio''. In the Banyuls Grand Cru AOC the wine is required to be aged in wood barrels for two and a half years.J. Robinson ''Jancis Robinson's Wine Course'' p. 201 Abbeville Press 2003

Crémant de Limoux

The

crémant Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it, making it fizzy. While the phrase commonly refers to champagne, European Union countries legally reserve that term for products exclusively produced in the Champagne re ...

produced in the Languedoc is made according to the '' Méthode Traditionnelle'' – formerly known as méthode champenoise – the same method used to produce

Champagne Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, sp ...

. Méthode Traditionnelle includes a second fermentation in the bottle to encapture the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast. Languedoc crémant is produced in the small villages around the town of

Limoux Limoux (; oc, Limós ) is a commune and subprefecture in the Aude department, a part of the ancient Languedoc province and the present-day Occitanie region in southern France. Its vineyards are famous for being first to produce sparkling wi ...

. The wines are normally composed of 70% Mauzac and a 30% combination of

and Chenin blanc. AOC regulations require a year of

aging Ageing ( BE) or aging ( AE) is the process of becoming older. The term refers mainly to humans, many other animals, and fungi, whereas for example, bacteria, perennial plants and some simple animals are potentially biologically immortal. I ...

on the lees. The

, when labelled ''méthode ancestrale'', is composed entirely of Mauzac, undergoes only one fermentation, and is aged approximately three months less on the lees before the bottling, the actual date being determined by the moon's cycle.K. MacNeil '' The Wine Bible'' p. 302 Workman Publishing 2001

References

External links

The wines of Languedoc-Roussillon
– The official website of France (in English)
Regional Guide to Languedoc Wines

Languedoc Wine Map
Wine regions of France Languedoc-Roussillon {{Portal bar, Wine, France