This blog is based on the Spirits of New Mexico radio show that aired on April 2, 2022. It is also our last radio show as we are going to a new expanded format to include wine, film, music, literature, dining and fun places to explore.
We do on-air tasting of one or two wines to illustrate what is available in a particular wine region, or as a contrast of what influence a wine region has on a grape or blend. We also contrast wine styles as in the current blog. We use suitable glasses for the type of wine and do a double-decant of red wines to insure they have opened sufficiently for accurate judging.
While I’ve have mentioned this very large wine region many times we’ve never explored it fully. That means some of its history, the grapes, the subregions, and the wines will be covered in a broad sweep, but unique subregions will be a point of focus.
Languedoc-Roussillon
This subregion in southern France has been making more and more quality wines, particularly in reds and Rose, but white as well. Located to the west of the Rhone Valley, it extends along the Mediterranean Sea to the Spanish border. It contains both coastal, valley and mountainous areas.
- Languedoc covers the northern part and close to the coast, 90% of total production
- Roussillon is more southerly, with some subregions further from the coast, 10% of total
- Roussillon makes 80% of France’s vin doux naturels (VDNs). These fortified sweet wines retain their natural sugars after fermentation is stopped by the addition of a spirit.
- The region is divided into AOC subregions and IGP-rated subregions
- Montpellier received 400,000 rootstock cuttings from Missouri in 1872 after Charles Valentine Riley, Missouri’s state entomologist after he realized the vine blight in Europe was caused by phylloxera louse.
- Largest wine region in the world, 700,000 acres, 1/3 of French production
- The largest producer of organic wines in France and the biggest producer of IGP and AOC rosé wines in the country, exceeding the production of Provence.
Geography
Primarily the region has a Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and mild springs, autumns, and winters. There are, however, varying microclimates throughout. They can be broken down into five groups.
- Mountain: In the north of the region, the climate tends to be more continental, similar to that of nearby Rhône.
- Coastal: Along the coast, there is a strong Mediterranean influence, with abundant sunshine.
- South: In the southern part of the region, the climate is suitable for production of Carignan.
- Center: In the heart of the region, the climate is classically Mediterranean.
- West: In the west, the region experiences a mix of continental and Atlantic influences, which help create ideal conditions for Languedoc’s sparkling wines.
Overall, the region receives little rainfall, in some areas the lowest in France. But the Languedoc has reserves of water in most of its calcareous soils. Clay and limestone soils are the most dominant, although there are areas where schist, shale, granite, pebbles, and sandstone are common.
History
The Greeks brought winemaking skills to this area in the 5th century BCE. The construction of the Canal du Midi in the 17th century, connected to the Canal de Garonne in Bordeaux was a significant engineering feat and along with the rails permitted easy access to markets. The entire link from Atlantic to Mediterranean is called the Canal des Deux Mers, or the canal between two seas. Early on the focus was on quantity production, which was curtailed by the Phylloxera scourge in 1868. As in other wine regions grafting unto American root stock solved that problem.
- In 1938, Blanquette de Limoux was granted AOC status and became the first AOC established in the Languedoc region—and one of the earliest AOCs in France.
By the mid-70s Languedoc producers began shifting their focus toward standards that would raise the region’s level of quality. Selection and research into soil makeup, vineyard management, yield control, and winemaking methods led to a restructuring of the Languedoc region and the creation of new AOCs.
Appellations of Languedoc
Map courtesy of Terroir France
Although the major share of Languedoc’s production is still made up of IGP wines, currently there are 23 AOCs in the region, representing about 16 percent of its total production. However, some IGP classifications represent areas much like an AOC.
AOC Languedoc was originally called Coteaux de Languedoc, but the label now can include grapes from anywhere in the Languedoc. The category Vins du Pay d’Oc has been replaced with IGP; a flexible standard for wines that seldom defines the grapes, but often defines a subregion. Note the size of the Corbieres AOC subregion; the largest in Languedoc.
Jancis Robinson has stated she finds the IGP wines most interesting.
The Languedoc is my adoptive French home. I see it as Provence without the tourists, without too many incomers like me pushing up prices and without, regrettably, the ubiquitous smell of lavender, thyme and pines. It is, however, archetypal Mediterranean wine country, with wild landscapes, Spain just over the Pyrenees, and vines stretching in every direction. Jancis Robinson
AOC Languedoc is the overriding category, the sub-AOCs are grouped into 10 Sub-regional appellations, 5 Commune or Village appellations, 4 Sweet wine and 3 sparkling wine appellations.
The 10 Sub-regional Appellations:
- AOC Cabardès (red, rosé)
- AOC Clairette du Languedoc (white)
- AOC Corbières (Cor-b Air) (red, white, rosé)
- AOC Limoux (still wines; red, white)
- AOC Malepère (red, rosé)
- AOC Minervois known for rich, spicy red wines
- AOC Picpoul de Pinet (white)
- AOC Pic Saint-Loup (red, rosé)
- AOC Saint-Chinian (red, white, rosé)
- AOC Terrasses du Larzac (red)
The 5 Commune or Village Appellations:
- AOC Corbières Boutenac (red)
- AOC Faugères (red, white, rosé)
- AOC Fitou (all red, dominated by co-ops)
- AOC La Clape (red, white)
- AOC Minervois la Livinière (red)
There are 4 Sweet Wine Appellations:
- AOC Muscat de Frontignan (white)
- AOC Muscat de Lunel (white)
- AOC Muscat de Mireval (white)
- AOC Muscat de Saint-Jean-de-Minervois (white)
There are 3 Sparkling Wine Appellations:
- AOC Blanquette de Limoux (white)
- AOC Crémant de Limoux (white, rosé)
- AOC Blanquette de Limoux Méthode Ancestrale
Principal grapes
Languedoc’s AOC wines are predominantly red blends made with Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault. Their flavor profile is dominated by red fruit and spices and is often associated with an herb blend called garrigue, containing rosemary, thyme, sage, lavender, and juniper that is typical of the region. Rosé wines also make use of these grapes.
Grenache: While typically smooth and delicate, Grenache provides structure to Languedoc blends. It also has an aromatic flavor profile and an exceptional ability to age (provided yields have been controlled). Grenache is often combined with more tannic grapes, such as Syrah and Mourvèdre, in the region’s red blends. It produces round, elegant wines with notes of cherry and plum in youth, and jam, cocoa, and mocha with age.
Syrah: Wines made with Syrah tend to be robust and high in alcohol and tannins, which makes them good candidates for aging. Syrah gives low-acid, deeply colored, fruity wines with red fruit and strong floral notes, with hints of licorice, ginger, and spice.
Carignan: Grown throughout the southern Mediterranean, Carignan is a low-yield variety that produces powerful, intensely colored wines with strong tannins. It helps build the foundation in Languedoc blends, where it’s often combined with other, finer grapes, such as Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Carignan offers red and black fruit notes as well as typical regional notes of garrigue. Peppery, balsamic notes may develop as Carignan ages.
Mourvèdre: Mourvèdre produces bold, full-bodied, tannic wines that are deep in color and firm in structure. It contributes complexity to Languedoc blends, and its flavor profile features blackberries, blueberries, and black currant, as well as baking spices and herbal garrigue notes. It needs a long growing season to reach maturity.
Cinsault: Known for its supple, juicy, and fruity wines, Cinsault yields wines that tend to be light ruby in color with notes of sour red berries, like strawberries, currants, and cranberries. This grape is also used in the production of the Languedoc’s excellent rosé wines.
White Grapes
Grenache Blanc: Grenache Blanc is the fourth most widely planted white grape in France, and the most widely planted white in southern France. It’s drought-resistant, vigorous, easy to graft and ripens fairly early right after Viognier and Marsanne. Like its Grenache Noir counterpoint it originated in Spain. In blends Grenache Blanc contributes rich mouthfeel, crisp acidity and a long finish.
Marsanne: This is the white workhorse grape of the Southern Rhône and much of Southern France. Marsanne is a sturdy, hardy grape that produces a full-bodied wine – with the heft of a good Chardonnay, but a less complex palate. It provides the base of many white blends as a result that build on its base structure.
Roussanne: Roussanne is named for its russet-colored skin. The grapes are somewhat prone to rot, but high in acidity and aromatic qualities. It’s a racy, lively wine that has the potential to age – setting it apart from the other Rhone whites.
Viognier: is famous for the rich and exotically perfumed white wines in the Condrieu and Château-Grillet regions of northern Rhône. It was presumed to have been transported there from Dalmatia by Emperor Probus in AD 281. Not personally, of course.
Clairette: Clairette has been around since the 1500s. It is used in the production of white and Rose blends. It is famously used in red Chateauneuf de Pape. Clairette, with its ability to deliver both low alcohol and high acidity is used in a blend to add acidity. Flavors include green apple, lime, peach, licorice, white peach and floral characteristics. It is also used in the production of Vermouth.
Picpoul (also known as Piquepoul) is an ancient white-wine grape variety of the Languedoc. The name Pique-poul translates literally as “stings the lip”, and is a reference to the grape’s mouthwateringly high acidity.
Picpoul’s most famous incarnation is in the white wines of the Picpoul de Pinet AOC that bears its name. The variety’s ability to keep its acidity even in a hot, Mediterranean climate makes it the perfect choice for the region, making taut, full-bodied white wines with herbal and citrus aromas.
Other varietals: Bourboulenc, Vermentino
Subregions: a short list
St. Chinian: Located in the middle of Languedoc Roussillon. A great many readily available wines of Saint Chinian use lighter varieties such as Carignan, Grenache and Cinsault. This region is up in the dramatically craggy Cévennes foothills and benefits from the dynamism of the dominant co-operative, whose wines are sold under the Berloup label. Jancis Robinson
Faugères: Located very close to Saint Chinian. Faugères is in the hills off the coast with a high percentage of schist soils; perfect for aromatic reds such as Grenache. Smoother and rounder than its neighbor.
Corbières: just to the north, is, for the moment, a much more exciting appellation, with scores of ambitious, dedicated smallholders determined to persuade the varied, dry, hillsides of the appellation to yield herby, slightly wild red wines of real quality and integrity. The concentrated dry reds made here can age well although some of the cheapest bottlings of Corbières (and Minervois), however, taste little better than basic Vin de France. Jancis Robinson
Limoux and Blanquette de Limoux: We did a show on this wine and rumored to be one of Thomas Jefferson’s favorite wines. And a good value as are many of the Crémant wines.
Sable de Camargue: is the IGP title for wines made along the Mediterranean coast of eastern Languedoc in the south of France. We have featured the Dune Gris de Gris wines on the show. Always a favorite.
The Languedoc leads in Rosé production
“In the Languedoc, there’s almost no constraint and no preconceived notions when it comes to making rosé,” Victoria James, sommelier at New York’s Cote and author of Drink Pink: A Celebration of Rosé.
With the Mediterranean coast on the east and the Pyrenees to the south, the region’s varying terroir make a broad spectrum of rosés. Diversity in soil types, ocean breezes and Southern France sun provide the environment for unique vintages and colors from unripe peach to deep coral.
Recommendation: Dune Gris De Gris 12.5% ABV, $11.99 at Total Wine
This is one of my favorite Rose wines. Pink grapefruit, peach, crisp with nice minerality. This one will surprise and delight you. From the land of sand and flamingos; Sable de Camargue.
Recommendation: Resplandy Muscat de St Jean 375ml, ABV 15%, $14.99 at Total Wine
“A rich, mouth-filling, yet medium-bodied, Muscat with notes of lychee, apricot and apple blossom. Always the bold variety, this Muscat is intensely packed with dried fruit and fresh honey notes, and is a perfect dessert pairing or on its own.” 91 points. I finally had the chance to try this wine and was very impressed. And it went perfectly with my wife’s pear tart, yum.
Picpoul de Pinet AOC
This is one of the many treasures to be found in the Languedoc. A distinctive white wine that is just now being discovered by many wine lovers.
The appellation covers 1,300 hectares (3212 acres), overlooking the salt water lagoon of the Bassin de Thau, where oysters and mussels are farmed. And it is as an aperitif and to accompany such seafood that it comes into its own. I had it once with salmon and once with shrimp and it won me over. I can’t wait to try it with oysters next.
Picpoul de Pinet displays flavors of lemon and saline, white blossoms and wet stones. Literally translated, Picpoul means “stings the lip,” referring to the grape’s naturally sky-high acidity. These wines are light to medium bodied, bone dry, have mouth watering acidity, and typically moderate alcohol.
- Tasting Notes: preserved lemon, honeydew melon, white blossoms, white peach, crushed rocks
- Food Pairing: oysters, prawns Provençal, salt cod croquettes, carbonara pasta, all-around great with seafood
What we are tasting: Hugues Beauvignac Picpoul, 12.5% ABV, $11.99 at Total Wine
Picpoul de Pinet AOC. A white wine appellation produced with the regional zesty white wine variety, Picpoul, also called Piquepoul.
A great everyday wine, this dry selection offers lower alcohol but crisp acidity and ripe citrus flavors. Pairs well with many foods; great to have on hand for any occasion. A very expressive wine that would be perfect with oysters.
Corbières AOC (est 1985)
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% of the region’s production in 2005. Red wine dominates with almost 95 %, with 3.5 % rosé and 2 % white. Carignan is the most common grape variety. The AOC was created in 1985, covers 13,500 hectares (33,000 acres) of vineyards and produces an average of 554,000 hectoliters of wine per year, corresponding to 74 million bottles.
Due to its size and geography, Corbières encompasses an enormous variety of soil types and microclimates. The wines from the region tend to be just as varied as the terroir. The region also experiences widely varied winds. The dry, Atlantic vent Cers frequently brings cold weather from the northwest while the area is normally under the influence of the warm, Mediterranean vent Marin.
There are 11 terroir defined within Corbières, one of which, Boutenac has its own AOC designation.
What we are tasting: Luc Pirlet 2018 Corbières, 13% ABV, $10.99 Total Wine
Rugged mountains and Mediterranean sun leave their mark on this ripe red. Spicy notes of black pepper and cooked cherries dominate the palate, while intense notes of white pepper, lilac and raspberry drift across the nose. This red blend is 40% Grenache, 30% Carignan and 30% Syrah. Luc Pirlet is a big producer for Total Wine with several varietals available at the store.
Analysis
Since I already knew how good the Picpoul was, I was not surprised that my other two tasters were blown away with how good it is. However I was surprised myself with how good the Corbières was. It had great balance, crispness and rich fruit flavors; tasting more like an expensive Rhone Cru red blend. These two wines are best buys.
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