French Wine Online from the South of FranceThe Languedoc Roussillon Region of the Mediterranean
Learn about French wine online from the South of France. The Languedoc Roussillon region of the Mediterranean produces fine wine.
The South of France is synonymous with delicate and varied grapes. Find out more about French wine online from the Languedoc Roussillon region. The Mediterranean region conjures up warm stone terraces, sun-baked hillsides and the perfumed smells of the sea. This is also an area ripe with remarkable wine that blends a hint of saffron, bay leaves, aniseed, thyme and juniper. Coteaux du Languedoc uses mainly Syrah for red wine varieties and a mix of Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache blanc Bourboulenc, Picquepoul and Clairette for the white varieties. Although each terroir has its own particular identity, they all have a supple and fresh quality. The wines of Saint-Chinian cover 3,000 hectares of at the foot of the Montagne-Noire. The collective taste is fruity, soft, rich and often full-bodied. The flavour lasts long on the palate and is full of character. Faugères forms a unique platform, 2,000 hectares overlooking the Languedoc plain and the sea, while backing onto the Cévennes. The essence is rounded, full-bodied wines that go exceptionally well with roast beef and game. Two production zones span the Fitou vineyards, the hillsides to the south east of Corbières and the coast of Fitou itself. Spiced with flint, bay leaves and cloves, the fragrances need 4 or 5 years to reach their aromatic potential. Cabardès, located between Carcassonne and the Pic du Nore, form a complex yet balanced wine. The grape varieties join the Atlantic and Mediterranean richness and are characterized by the effects of the East and West winds. This emblematic Mediterranean personality, Mapepère wines grow on a sequence of hills, valleys, slopes and terraces of gravel. The union of different grape varieties are best paired with Cassoulet, red meats, game and fermented cheeses. Corbières is the largest mass of land in this region, covering 23,000 hectares of mountain and wild hillsides. This blend of varying landscapes makes for intense, full and round reds, delicate and floral whites, and crisp and pleasant rosés. The Minervois vineyards spread across 18,000 hectares and offer a variety of flavors on the East and West sides. The easterly area grows well-structured reds, the central zone fresh and rich whites, and the western part lively and aromatic reds with notes of violet. One of the oldest and smallest wine growing areas, Clairette du Languedoc is situated on the mid-slopes of the Hérault valley. The sweet varieties, all white, present dominant notes of honey and peach, making the perfect accompaniment to shellfish and other seafood. Limoux wines are produced where the Atlantic and Mediterranean climates meet. The varieties include Blanquette de Limoux, Crémant de Limoux, Blanquette Méthode Ancestrale, and both a red and a white Limoux.
The copyright of the article French Wine Online from the South of France in Old World Wine is owned by Lori Henry. Permission to republish French Wine Online from the South of France in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Related Topics
Reference
More in Food & Drink
|