Languedoc-Roussillon

The Languedoc-Roussillon is home to the largest vineyard area in the world at over 235,000 hectares, producing more than 130 million cases of wine each year. To put that in perspective, the production averages more than any of Argentina, Chile, Australia or South Africa. It seems almost paradoxical to lump two regions into one given the diversity of terroir contained within, but it is a term commonly used by administrators and the wine industry to make the complexity a bit more manageable.

Running along southern France, the Languedoc-Roussillon covers a tract of land from Nîmes and Montpellier in the east to the Spanish border in the west, incorporating the Mediterranean coastline as it goes. The entire region has a long viticultural history. It is generally accepted that the Romans first planted vines in the Languedoc around 125BC in the Narbonne area, with the Greek settling in the Roussillon some 600 years earlier. Despite the Roussillon being ruled by Spain from roughly the 13th to 17th centuries, it was along with the Languedoc a united powerhouse of wine production, although in distinctly different ways. The Roussillon produced a staggering volume of fortified wine: by the mid-20th century, 70 million bottles of Rivesaltes were being sold each year, a volume which has since dropped to around 3 million. The Languedoc thrived on exporting wine to Holland and England, with the construction of the port of Sète in the 17th century, followed by the arrivals of railways in 1850, kicking off an incredible boom in production. The region was the first to be replanted after Phylloxera and by 1900 was responsible for 44% of France’s total wine production. Made from heavily over cropped vines on the fertile plains, the only way to make the regions’ wines commercial was to blend in dark strong wine from France’s colonies in North Africa, a practice which sowed the seeds for the region’s path of low quality and prices in the 20th century. Now, however, the Languedoc-Roussillon is home to a variety of large cooperatives and many small-scale producers making much higher quality wines.

Although conjoined, there are distinguishing features that mark out the Languedoc from the Roussillon. The main traditional varieties in the Languedoc for reds are Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsault. Whites still only represent 10% of production and traditional varieties are Grenache Blanc, Rolle, Clairette, Macabeo and Picpoul. The international varieties are all now grown with enthusiasm, usually making varietal vins de pays. The region stretches from the mouth of the Rhône near Arles around to the border with Roussillon 15km north of Perpignan. The most characterful Languedoc wines are from the appellations in the hills away from the heat of the coast. Most of these produce herbal, spicy and fruity reds based around Syrah, Grenache and Carignan. Cabardès and Malpère also use Bordeaux varieties and are less exuberant, perhaps more elegant. Further into the hills lies Limoux, where excellent sparkling wines and decidedly Burgundian tasting Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are made.

Basic Roussillon wine has a certain rusticity with its dark berry fruit, but fine villages examples, often based on ancient low yielding Carignan vines, can be simply majestic, with power and elegance. Some excellent white wines are also made here based around Grenache Blanc, richly textural with peachy fruit and great ability to improve in bottle. These are surely some of the best value fine wines in the world. This region is also home of 90% of France’s Vin doux naturel production. Rivesaltes is a powerful fortified wine made from Grenache Noir and Blanc Muscat Rivesaltes is from the same area but made from 100% Muscat. Maury and greatest of them all, Banyuls, make beautiful aged fortified Grenache, which can vary in style from Port-like to semi-oxidised, pale rancio style wines.