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Discover the Appellations of Languedoc Red Wine: A Journey Through the Land of Vineyards
Discover the Appellations of Languedoc Red Wine: A Journey Through the Land of Vineyards
The Languedoc Roussillon vineyards account for 1/3 of French wine production. There are a large number of appellations for red wines distinguished by their character and richness.
From sunny hillsides to varied terroirs, each appellation offers a palette of flavors and aromas to compose a good red wine. Let's discover the Languedoc's most famous appellations and their particularities.
Emblematic Appellations d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC)
The Languedoc's most famous appellations include such evocative names as Saint-Chinian, Minervois, Corbières and Fitou. Each of these AOCs embodies the history and tradition of the Languedoc vineyards. You'll also find other, less common names that are just as complex and singular on the palate, and that aspire to become the best red wine.
Saint-Chinian: Elegance and structure
Renowned for its elegant, well-structured red wines,
the Saint-Chinian appellation seduces with its diversity of grape varieties, including Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Saint-Chinian wines combine freshness and intensity, with notes of red fruit and spice that make them perfect companions for a wide variety of Mediterranean dishes.
Heritage An 1877 - Saint Chinian AOC
Minervois: Tradition and Authenticity
AOC Minervois and Minervois
La LivinièreMinervois, in the heart of the Languedoc region, is renowned for its rich, powerful red wines made from Carignan, Syrah and Grenache grapes. Minervois wines have an assertive tannic structure and reveal aromas of ripe fruit and garrigue, reflecting the authenticity and tradition of this ancestral wine-growing region.
Château Laville Bertrou - Minervois La Livinière AOC
Le Viala - Minervois la Livinière AOC
Héritage An 873 - Minervois AOP
Corbières: Harmony and balance
The Corbières appellation, and Corbières Boutenac marked by its rocky terroir and Mediterranean climate, produces red wines of great elegance and perfect balance. Emblematic grape varieties such as Carignan, Syrah and Mourvèdre give Corbières wines subtle aromas of black fruit, licorice and garrigue, for an unforgettable sensory experience.
Château de Villemajou - Corbières Boutenac AOC
La Forge - Corbières Boutenac AOC
Fitou: Power and Character
Renowned as the first AOC appellation in the Languedoc
dedicated exclusively to red wine red wineFitou is distinguished by its powerful character and aromatic intensity. Fitou wines, made mainly from Carignan and Grenache grapes, offer remarkable depth and complexity, with notes of candied fruit, spices and undergrowth that will delight the most demanding palates.
Côtes du Roussillon: Grenache kingdom
To the south of the Fitou appellation, we discover a group
of renowned appellations such as Côtes du Roussillon, Les Aspres and Tautavelfollowed by Collioure with its wines and great red wines of Banyuls. These lands, bathed in Mediterranean sunshine, are ideal for growing emblematic grape varieties such as Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. The wines produced in these appellations are distinguished by their warm, sunny character, with
aromas of ripe fruit, spices and garrigue that captivate the senses.
Heritage An 560 - Côtes du Roussillon villages Tautavel
Heritage An 1886 - Côtes du Roussillon Les Aspres
La Clape: Mediterranean elegance
Around Narbonne, the La Clape AOC appellation emerges, characterized by its incomparably elegant red wines. The vineyards of La Clapevineyards, located between land and sea, benefit from a Mediterranean climate ideal for the expression of local grape varieties such as Mourvèdre and Carignan. La Clape wines are full of freshness, finesse and subtle aromas of red fruits and aromatic herbs.
Château L'Hospitalet - La Clape AOC
Château des Karantes - La Clape AOC
Malepère: Tradition and authenticity west of Carcassonne
West of Carcassonne, the Malepère AOC appellation embodies the Languedoc's age-old winegrowing tradition. The vineyards of Malepèrevineyards, nestled between hills and valleys, produce well-balanced, generous red wines from grape varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Malepère wines stand out for their elegant tannic structure and aromas of black fruits and spices.
Château La Soujeole - Malepère AOC
Les Terrasses du Larzac and Languedoc-Cabrières: Wines from the Northern Mountains
Further north, in the mountains, are the Terrasses du Larzac and Languedoc-Cabrières appellations. These regions, characterized by their limestone soils and cool climate, produce red wines of great complexity and remarkable finesse. Grape varieties such as Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault reveal their full expression in these mountainous terroirs, offering wines with intense aromas of black fruit, liquorice and garrigue, reflecting the majesty of the landscapes that gave birth to them.
Héritage An 100 - Terrasses du Larzac AOC
Château La Sauvageonne - Terrasses du Larzac AOC
Héritage An 462 - Languedoc AOC
Mediterranean appellations around Montpellier
As you descend towards the Mediterranean, on the outskirts of Montpellier, you come across a series of prestigious appellations such as Languedoc Grès de Montpellier, Pic Saint-Loup, Languedoc Saint-Drézéry and Languedoc Montpeyroux. These appellations, characterized by their stony terroir and sunny climate, produce red wines of great finesse and rare elegance. Typical grape varieties such as Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre blend harmoniously to produce wines with complex aromas of red fruits, spices and garrigue.
Heritage An 782 - Montpellier AOC sandstone
Heritage Year 1189 - Pic Saint Loup AOC
Heritage An 1070 - Montpeyroux AOP
Languedoc red wine appellations with Gérard Bertrand
By exploring the red wine of Languedoc with Gérard Bertrand, you'll discover a fascinating world where tradition, terroir and passion combine to create wines of exceptional quality. Whether you're a wine lover in search of new discoveries or a seasoned connoisseur, let yourself be seduced by the red wine appellations of the Languedoc, true gems of French viticulture.
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