Languedoc Appelation Wine Region

The Languedoc wine appellation covers three districts, Aude, Herault to the Gard, and stretches as far as the Eastern Pyrenees. Within this geographical place, 36 controlled origin appellations are holding a total surface of 40,000 ha. The Languedoc wine appellation produces a vast diversity of wines. For 30 years, the Languedoc AOC has developed the wine-growing site to ensure the quality and authenticity of each wine.

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Where is Languedoc Appelation?

Languedoc wine district is one of the largest producers in France, as well as the greatest producer of IGP and AOC rosé wines in the country. This wine appellation is located in Southern France and is part of the Mediterranean coastal area known as the Occitanie region.

The main area of the Languedoc wine region extends across three départements, from the Aude to the Gard by way of the Hérault, and then extending to the Pyrénées-Orientales where it meets Roussillon. The region’s closeness to the Mediterranean Sea helps provide greater texture across vintages than in any other area of France.

History of Languedoc Appelation

The history of Languedoc’s vineyard dates back to the 5th century when Greeks introduced winemaking into this area. As for the many French appellations, winemaking developed under the Romans in this territory too. Viticulture has been the most crucial part of the economy since that time.

In the first millennium, a special process called passerillage was used to make wine. In this technique, reaped grapes were dried in the sun for over-ripening. In the 17th century, there were built construction of the Canal du Midi, which linked the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. This connection gave the wine sector more freedom and development opportunity.

Later, in the 19th century, the railway system made it easier to ship wine to Northern France, which led to a period of great fortune for the Languedoc wine.

Unfortunately, Phylloxera began attacking Languedoc vineyards in 1868. As a result, vines were grafted onto phylloxera-resistant American rootstock, and major replanting was launched. By 1900, the annual production of Languedoc wine was 21 million hectoliters.

In 1945 the Languedoc received major recognition from the National Institute of the Appellations of Origin (INAO) when the organization allowed the region’s wines to be designated Wine of Superior Quality (VDQS) and approved the appearance of that designation on labels.

Terroir of Languedoc Appelation

The Languedoc wine region’s closeness to the Mediterranean Sea changes the whole climate for grapes and helps them provide more remarkable consistency. For the most part, the region has a Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and mild autumns, springs, and winters. Here are 5 main microclimates of Languedoc wine appellation:

• Mountain: Some parts of the appellation tend to be more continental, which is mostly the northern part of the Languedoc.
• Coastal: Near the coast, you will come across the strong Mediterranean influence.
• South: In the southern part of the region, the climate is similar to Roussillon’s.
• 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.

With 36 percent of all organic French wine, Languedoc is the country’s leader in organic wine production. Overall, the region receives little rainfall, and in some places, the amount of rain is the lowest in France. But the Languedoc has resources of water in most of its calcareous grounds. Soil styles vary, with clay and limestone.

Key Grape Varieties of Languedoc Wine Region

Most of the Languedoc’s AOC wines are blends of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault. Their flavors are dominated by spices, red fruits, and herbs, like thyme, sage, lavender, and rosemary. Red wines make up 60 percent of the Languedoc’s total production. So, the most popular wines from this wine appellation are red.

Syrah

Wines made with Syrah are rich and high in alcohol and tannins. All these characteristics make them age well. Syrah gives deeply colored, fruity wines with red fruit and strong floral notes, with hints of licorice, ginger, and spice.

Food to pair with Languedoc Wine

Bourride

Bourride is a popular fish stew forming from the French region of Languedoc-Roussillon. Mostly it is made with white fish such as mullet, mackerel, or sea bass, but the original and most traditional recipes mainly contain monkfish.

The stew is enriched by vegetables such as leeks, onions, celery, and carrots. Bourride is renowned for being less complex and expensive than bouillabaisse, and the earliest recognition of the dish appears in Reboul's La Cuisinière Provencale from 1897.

Although there are endless combinations of this French classic, it is believed that the dish formed in Sète, a port city situated in southeastern France, where you can find the most standard variety. We recommend you tasting this dish with a glass of Languedoc red wine.

Boles de Picoulat

Boles de Picolat is a classic Catalan dish in which meatballs and olives are mixed with a sauce. Other ingredients include carrots, garlic, tomato, cepes mushrooms, and olive. The meatballs are made of pork and beef mince, eggs, flour, and onions.

Once prepared, Boles de Picolat is served with white beans, chickpeas, or rice on the side. Of course, you can find different variations of the dish from restaurant to restaurant. However, each one of them goes well with Languedoc wine.

Clapassade

Clapassade is a standard French dish that developed in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France. This hearty dish can be organized in many different ways, but all of them include the same key ingredients: slowly simmered lamb, honey, olives, and star anise.

After the roux is made, white wine is usually added as a deglazing. It is recommended to use wines from the region since all of the other key ingredients are also native to Languedoc.

Places to Visit in Languedoc

The coast of the Languedoc region

If you are planning your holidays in Languedoc, then you can visit over 40 beaches along its coastline. The beaches of Languedoc are not as evolved as their eastern replicas just now, but they are beginning to catch up. Part of this is to do with the stronger winds and the erratic coastline, which manages to sprout lagoons here and there. A good example is the 12-mile spit of land that takes you from Sete to Cap d'Agde. Once the road that hugged the beach was full of Caravans and Campervans. But these have been removed away, a new road has been built that lets the beach spill back further inland, and an abundance of new car parks have been created.

Roman history in Languedoc

You can't ignore the mark the Romans made on the Languedoc region of France. Just follow the remains of the Via Domitia, the road created in 118BC to connect Spain with Italy. You can see part of it in Narbonne, a major port in Roman Gaul before the town's harbor silted up in the 14th century. You can choose the trail further east in the village of St-Thibery, near Pezenas, where an intact Roman bridge strikes the Hérault river. Finally, you can make your way to Nimes. Its magnificent Roman amphitheater is in better shape than the one in nearby Arles and is the location for bullfighting.

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