Home > Wine Guides > Languedoc Wine Guide Part 2

Languedoc Wine Guide Part 2

The Coteaux du Languedoc - discussed in detail in my Languedoc Wine Guide Part 1 - is essentially a nursery for emerging new appellations, having been created in 1985. Outside this region, however, there are a number of other appellations, the names of which will be familiar to many - Fitou, for instance, Corbières and Minervois. Fitou is the grand old man of the Languedoc, whereas many of the others did not receive appellation status until the same year as the Coteaux du Languedoc. In addition, there are a number of less well known appellations. This guide covers them all.

Fitou

It is fitting to begin with Fitou, the vineyards of which are of Roman origin, and which is also one of the oldest appellations of the Languedoc, having been established in 1948. The appellation is one of the furthest from the Coteaux du Languedoc, the last outpost of the Languedoc in fact, before we reach the vineyards of Roussillon. In fact in Occitan 'fita' means border or frontier, and Fitou once sat on the border between France and Catalonia. The appellation is divided into two geographically distinct regions; the Fitou-Maritime, on the coast, and Fitou de Hautes-Corbières, the vineyards here on the same hills as those that run through the surrounding Corbières appellation. The principal varieties are Carignan, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, with the legal addition of Cinsaut and Lledoner Pelut. The proportion of the blend represented by each variety is quite complex, to the point in fact where there is little point explaining it. Nevertheless, I shall try. Carignan must account for at least 30%, and the sum of Carignan, Grenache and Lledoner must be at least 70%, within which Grenache and Lledoner must account for at least 30% Confused? You should be.

From 2008 Syrah and Mourvèdre must account for at least 10% of the blend. In short, this is best thought of as principally Carignan and Grenache, with a number of other not necessarily insignificant players alongside.

There are plans for a Fitou Blanc based on Maccabeu and Grenache Blanc although at present it remains a red wine appellation. Production of Fitou is dominated by co-operatives, but there are one or two independent producers of note.  Although Fitou provided some drinking pleasure during my student days, it is not something I partake of so often today. Nevertheless the Mont Tauch co-operative has a decent reputation, and their cuvées L'Exception and Château de Segure can be very good.

Corbières

This is a large viticultural region in comparison with other local appellations or the subregional zones of the Coteaux du Languedoc. In fact it is the fourth largest appellation in all France. It extends west and south of Narbonne, as far as the vineyards of Roussillon, sandwiching Fitou-Maritime between itself and the sea, and partly enveloping Fitou de Hautes-Corbières. Unsurprisingly there is some further classification, and the appellation is subdivided into eleven terroirs. The four most prominent, which may offer themselves for elevation to AC status in the same manner as the communal zones of the Coteaux du Languedoc, are as follows:

• Sigean - coastal clay and limestone terroir.
• Durban - inland of Sigean, to the south, a region of poor, stony soils.
• Fontfroide - also inland of Sigean, to the north.
• Lagrasse - a central terroir of red limestone.

Like Fitou the vineyards are of Roman origin, although they were not awarded their AC status until 1985, nearly forty years after Fitou's success. The red wines, which dominate, are a blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache and Lledoner Pelut (together accounting for at least 50%) with Carignan, Picpoul Noir, Terret Noir and Cinsaut. The latter is limited to a maximum 20%. There is a little rosé (similar varieties to the red, some different limits on proportions) and white, the latter comprising Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc and Maccabeu among others. There are some domaines turning out great value wines here; look out for Mattes-Sabran, Castelmaure, Mansenoble and Vaugelas, among others.

Limoux

What a change Limoux makes. On the whole, whether considering the en vrac sales of cheap plonk in the past, or the brilliant quality wines that are available today, the Languedoc is red wine country. But here, in Limoux, we have something starkly different. Like Picpoul de Pinet in the Coteaux du Languedoc, this is an oasis of white wine amongst all the red, although here the indigenous grape is Mauzac not Picpoul. But stranger still, the appellations of Limoux also include sparkling wines, the history of which stretch back to the 16th century, predating any such activity in Champagne. And as if that weren't enough, alongside Mauzac, both Chenin and Chardonnay are eligible varieties. There are in fact four local appellations, as follows:

• Blanquette de Limoux: dating from 1938, this appellation describes a sparkling wine made from the variety Mauzac using the Méthode Champenoise. It may contain Chardonnay or Chenin (maximum of 10% combined), and must be aged on the lees for nine months. The term blanquette describes a downy white covering on the underside of the leaves of the Mauzac variety; thus the grape is known locally as Blanquette, and hence the name of this appellation.
• Limoux Méthode Ancestrale: also a sparkling wine appellation dating from 1938, describing wines made in the traditional method, by awaiting spring refermentation following the cold of winter. Only a tiny quantity of wines are made this way.
• Crémant de Limoux: a more recent appellation, created in 1990. Its creation was a quality-minded decision, as it permits higher proportions of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc in the blend. Initial regulations indicated a minimum of 30%, with a maximum of 20% of either variety. Further amendments weighted the balance in favour of Chardonnay, so that the wine now has a maximum of 90% for Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay, although the former is limited to 20-40% (so Chardonnay might account for as much as 70%). There is also room for a maximum 20% of Mauzac and Pinot Noir combined, although the latter in isolation is limited to a maximum 10%. Only the Méthode Champenoise is permitted. The wines must be aged on the lees for twelve months.
• Limoux: a still wine appellation created in 1993. Although historically Limoux has produced both red and white wines, for many years this appellation covered only white, using Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Mauzac, and these must be fermented in oak to qualify. In 2004 the appellation was also extended to allow red wines, made from predominantly Merlot.

There are some very decent sparkling wines in Limoux, Antech being one of the better producers. Good examples of still Limoux come from Sieur d'Arques, Chateau Rives-Blanques, and Begude (once part of the Comte Cathare empire).

Minervois

Directly north from the appellation of Corbières, separated from it only by the River Aude and its companion, the Canal du Midi, is Minervois. As with Corbières, Minervois is an appellation where Carignan once ruled, blended with the other red grapes of the Languedoc, including Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Lledoner Pelut, Cinsaut and others. The "improving varieties" - Syrah and Mourvèdre - must constitute a minimum 10% of the blend, a fairly small requirement that mirrors the character of Corbières. Syrah is more widely planted than Mourvèdre, as it is more suited to the inland location. Like Corbières the region was awarded AC status in 1985, and since then there has been a number of significant changes in the region, all with the aim of an improvement in quality. A landmark decision was the creation of the first cru, La Livinière, with the 1998 vintage, also retrospectively applied to the 1997 vintage. As with many other appellations of the Languedoc, an important factor in improving the quality of the wine is stipulation of the proportion of "improving varieties" which must be included in the blend. For Minervois La Livinière, at least 60% must be Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache (contrast this with just 10% for basic Minervois), the first two being the most important - these must constitute at least 40%. Carignan and Cinsaut may be included up to a maximum 40%. With time it is envisaged that this cru will graduate to an appellation of its own, rather like the top communal zones of the Coteaux du Languedoc. Although unsurprisingly Minervois is predominantly red, there is a little pink and white produced. The rosé is made from the usual suspects, white from Grenache Blanc, Maccabeu, Picpoul, Bourboulenc and others. Again, there are lots of good quality and affordable wines here. Those from Borie de Maurel can be particularly good, and other worthwhile names include Coupe-Roses and Maris (part of Comte Cathare).

Muscat de St Jean-de-Minervois

Tucked away in the north-eastern most corner of the Minervois appellation is the village of St Jean-de-Minervois. The local vineyards were awarded with their own appellation for sweet Muscat in 1950, this wine largely being produced for home consumption by the locals. The village is tiny, and I may even have not mentioned it, were it not for the fact that the local wine has outshone any other example of sweet Muscat I have tried. The 1999 vintage from Bertie Eden, great-nephew of one-time UK Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden, who under the umbrella label of Comte Cathare owns Domaine de Montahuc, was a benchmark example of the style. Other estates under the Comte Cathare umbrella include Domaine de Combebelle (St Chinian), Domaine la Bégude (Limoux) and Domaine Maris (Minervois), among others. For more information on this and other sweet Muscats of Languedoc and Roussillon, see my feature on wines made using mutage.

Cabardès & Côtes de la Malepère

Both Cabardès and the Côtes de la Malepère are unusual viticultural regions. They lie on the cusp between the Languedoc, land of garrigue, Grenache and Syrah, and the Aquitaine, land of gravel, Cabernet and Merlot. Cabardès, the more northerly of the two regions, achieved appellation status in 1998. The grape varieties here are a fascinating mix of Bordeaux and Languedoc, reflecting the mixed terroir, climate and other regional influences. Syrah predominates, but there is also Cabernet, Malbec, Merlot and Grenache. Meanwhile the producers of the Côtes de la Malepère, who achieved appellation status more recently, work principally with Merlot (minimum 50% in the blend), with Cabernet Franc and Cot (Malbec) giving a minimum 20%, followed by a number of accessory varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon. For the rosé, Cabernet Franc rules with a minimum 70% in the blend. I have little personal experience of these wines, but Pennautier in the Cabardès appellation has a good reputation.

Costières de Nîmes

All the appellations mentioned above lie on the sweep of land west of the Coteaux du Languedoc, on the way down to Roussillon, the Pyrenees and Spain. The Costières de Nîmes, however, is different. Not only is it at the other end of the Languedoc, east of the Coteaux appellation, but from an administrative point of view it is not even in the Languedoc - it is in the southern Rhône Valley. Nevertheless, viticulturally it resembles the Languedoc and it makes good sense to consider it here.

Like many of the local appellations this area was first planted by the Romans. It was awarded appellation status in 1986, one year after the Coteaux du Languedoc and many of the Languedoc's other appellations. Only a minority of the delimited appellation actually produces Costières de Nîmes, however, the remainder either unplanted, or being sold as vin de pays. The AC wines at present constitute a minimum 25% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 40% Carignan, although it is likely that these regulations will change. Few producers use anything close to 40% Carignan, most favouring large proportions of Syrah. The whites are based on Grenache Blanc. There are some surprisingly good wines made here, and Costières de Nîmes is certainly a good value hunting ground. Look out for Mas Neuf, Mas de Bressades and Vieux Relais.

Languedoc Vin de Pays

It is impossible to make a discussion of the wine of the Languedoc without mentioning vin de pays, and so this guide finishes up with this category, which accounts for a huge proportion of wine produced in this region, and for many people is their first taste of French wine. Other than the well known Vin de Pays d'Oc, one of France's four huge regional vin de pays, there are departmental vine de pays such as Vin de Pays de l'Herault and zonal vin de pays, such as Vin de Pays Coteaux du Fontcaude. These wine guides are too brief to cover all the vin de pays in a worthwhile amount of detail, but they are worth mentioning as there are one or two top class estates which bottle their wine using this designation. The wines range from the seriously sublime vin de garde to the cheap-and-cheerful. Prime examples include Mas de Daumas Gassac (VdP de l'Herault), Les Vignerons du Val d'Orbieu (a groupement de producteurs making La Cuvée Mythique, a VdP d'Oc), Domaine de Ravanes (high quality wines from VdP des Coteaux de Murviel) and Domaine de Baruel (good Syrah and Cabernet based wines from VdP des Cevennes).

• Back to the Beginning: Languedoc Wine Guide Part 1