Languedoc (formerly Coteaux du Languedoc) is a key appellation used in the Languedoc-Roussillon wine region of southern France. It covers Dry table wines of all three colors (red, white and rosé) from the entire region, but leaves Sweet and Sparkling wines to other more specialized appellations. About 75% of all Languedoc wines are red, with the remaining 25% split roughly down the middle between whites and rosés. The appellation covers most of the Languedoc region and almost a third of all the vineyards in France.
The typical Languedoc red wine is medium-bodied and Fruity. The best examples are slightly heavier and have darker, more savoury aromas, with notes of spice, undergrowth and leather. The Grape varieties used to make them are the classic southern French ones: Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, often with a touch of Carignan or Cinsaut. The white wines of the appellation are made from Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Bourboulenc, with occasional use of Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne from the Rhône Valley.
The vermentino grape variety was widespread in Italy, Sardinia and Corsica. Today, Vermentino is grown in the regions bordering the Mediterranean, mainly in Provence (Côtes de Provence, Bellet), Corsica (Corse Calvi), Languedoc (Côtes du Roussillon, Costières de Nîmes) and the Rhône Valley (Côtes du Luberon). Because it ripens late, Vermentino requires a warm climate for its development and can only be grown in regions with good sun exposure. Conversely, cold or temperate climates do not allow it to ripen properly. Vermentino is only susceptible to powdery mildew. When vinified on its own, Vermentino produces a single-variety dry white wine that is light and full-bodied with a pale yellow color. It can also be blended with other grape varieties such as Ugni Blanc, Cinsault and Grenache, in which case its low acidity makes it light and fresh. Vermentino belongs to the grape varieties of Ajaccio, Corsica and Corbières. The aromas released by this variety are multiple. One can detect notes of fresh apple, green almond, sweet spices, hawthorn, ripe pear and fresh pineapple.
wines from the region of Languedoc-Roussillon go well with generally quite well with dishes of pasta, vegetarian or poultry such as recipes of salmon cannelloni, mushroom, bacon and gruyere quiche or salmon koulibiac.
On the nose in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon often reveals types of flavors of cherry, toasty or biscuits and sometimes also flavors of watermelon, yeast or straw. In the mouth in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon is a powerful with a nice freshness.
The largest-ever year for entries, an incredible 18,244 wines were judged at the 2022 Decanter World Wine Awards – with just 163 wines awarded a Platinum medal. ‘Winning a Platinum medal is something really exceptional’ said Decanter World Wine Awards Co-Chair Sarah Jane Evans MW. ‘Platinum is like the stratospheric level’ she commented, ‘so it’s really saying to the winemaker: this is a great wine.’ Making up just 0.87% of the total wines tasted at the 2022 c ...
The focus of the symposium, unsurprisingly, was on the challenges posed by climate change. As if to illustrate the immediacy of the threat, the symposium took place during a heatwave, with temperatures of over 40°C in Bordeaux and extreme weather events recorded across the coountry: parts of southwest France saw violent storms and winds of 112kph on the evening of 20 June, while vineyards across the Médoc and St-Emilion were damaged by hailstones ‘the size of golfballs’. As Olivier Bernard of D ...
The Roussillon is home to a range of wine styles, at varying price points. Sweet fortified wines (vin doux naturel) used to dominate production, with still dry wines (vin sec) in the minority. In the last 30 years, however, this has completely changed, and vin sec now makes up the majority (80%) of the Roussillon’s output. The recent Wines of Roussillon tasting, held in London, not only highlighted many good quality dry wines being produced, but also cemented the idea that Roussillon whites are ...
