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For wine lovers, especially those who like individual wines that express the place where they were grown, the Languedoc is a perfect hunting ground. With hundreds of fine wines are available it can be hard to know where to start, but here Rosemary George has unpacked the region carefully for wine professionals and consumers.The Languedoc is a land of mountains, sea and Cathar castles in the south of France. For much of its history the region has also been seen as the home of rustic table wines with no international reputation. However, over the last 40 years the wines have improved enormously, with innovations in both vineyards and cellars, helped by the development of appellations and IGPs recognizing the individuality of its different areas. Now boasting more than 2,500 wine producers, the Languedoc has attracted interest from around the world, thanks to its affordable land and exciting creative possibilities.
The Languedoc is best known for its spicy reds, often made from one or more of the classic quintet of varieties, Carignan, Cinsaut, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre and Syrah. However, it is also gaining a reputation for its whites, with the coastal appellation Picpoul de Pinet in particular seeing a rise in popularity, and for its rosés, producing twice as much as its fashionable neighbor Provence. The Languedoc is also home to the world’s oldest sparkling wine, Blanquette de Limoux, and to
vins doux naturels in the form of delicious, sweet Muscats.
It is in the twenty-first century above all that the Languedoc has really found its place among the great wine regions. Here, Rosemary George MW profiles a selection of those producers who have made and continue to boost the region’s reputation. Some are newcomers, while others are inheritors of family businesses, many of whom have studied oenology or learned winemaking elsewhere. All are passionate about what they do, continuing to improve their wines with every vintage.
The Languedoc is one of the world’s largest and most exciting wine regions, making
Wines of the Languedoc essential reading for professionals and enthusiasts alike.
Sommario
Introduction: setting the scene 1 1. The history: from the Greeks to the twenty-first century 5 2. The Languedoc in the twenty-first century 17 3. Malepère 39 4. Cabardès 47 5. Limoux 53 6. Corbières with Boutenac 69 7. Fitou 93 8. Minervois with Minervois La Livinière and St Jean de Minervois 103 9. La Clape 125 10. Quatourze 137 11. St Chinian with Roquebrun and Berlou 141 12. Faugères 159 13. Pézenas 175 14. Cabrières 193 15. Clairette du Languedoc 197 16. Picpoul de Pinet 201 17. Terrasses du Larzac with St Saturnin and Montpeyroux 209 18. Pic St Loup 251 19. Grés de Montpellier, with St Georges d’Orques, La Méjanelle, St Drézéry and St Christol 271 20. Sommières, Langlade and Pays de Cévennes 289 21. Muscats: Frontignan, Mireval and Lunel 301 22. IGPs: Pays d’Oc, Côtes de Thongue, Haute Vallée de l’Orb and others 309 23. Vintages since 2000 337 Glossary 343 Bibliography 349 Acknowledgements 351 Index 353
Info autore
Rosemary George spent nine years in the wine trade with The Wine Society, Louis Eschenauer (Bordeaux), H Sichel & Sons, Findlater Matta and Les Amis du Vin. In 1979 she became one of the first women to qualify as a Master of Wine. A freelance writer since 1981, she has written thirteen books, covering the Languedoc, Chablis, Tuscany and New Zealand. She is a contributor to various magazines including
Decanter and
Sommelier India.
