Languedoc

A sea of vineyards under the sun

The Languedoc lies in the south of France, in a broad arc along the Mediterranean Sea. The region stretches from the area around Nîmes and Montpellier to the Pyrenees. The southernmost part, bordering Spain, is called Roussillon; together, the regions are often referred to as Languedoc-Roussillon. It is one of the largest wine regions in the world, with vineyards on the coastal plain and on the dry hills inland. Garrigue grows there: wild thyme, rosemary and bay laurel. The climate is warm and sunny, with little rain and often strong winds.

For a long time, the Languedoc was mainly known for producing large quantities of simple table wine. In recent decades, the quality has risen considerably. There are two types of wine. The first consists of wines from a designated appellation, such as Corbières, Minervois, Saint-Chinian, Faugères, Pic Saint-Loup and La Clape. These are usually blends of grenache, syrah, mourvèdre, carignan and cinsault, as in the southern Rhône. For white wine, there is Picpoul de Pinet, made from the picpoul grape on the coast. The second group bears Pays d'Oc on the label. Here, winemakers have more freedom and can also use grapes such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, often with the grape name on the label.