One of the largest wine producing areas in France is also one of the most often overlooked areas for quality wines. Many consumers are unaware that the wines from the Languedoc region in the south of France is blessed with some of the best growing conditions in Europe. A unique combination of soil, sun and influences from the Mediterranean Sea produce naturally healthy vineyards where pesticides and chemicals are rarely employed.
The proximity to the Mediterranean plays an important role in shaping the wines of the region since the maritime influences have a “leveling” effect on the climate in the Languedoc, protecting it from wide swings in weather conditions. This results in near consistent production from vintage to vintage. The temperate climate also allows the wines to be a little more approachable at a younger age.
This also is the area where many of France’s new wave of winemakers has been experimenting with various fermentation techniques. The innovations provided by some of these pioneers has resulted in better quality wines — most of which are blends — from such varietals as syrah, grenache and mourvedre and has raised the status of Languedoc wines on the international wine scene.
There are now 22 Appellation d’origine Controlees in Languedoc, including Limoux, Corbieres, Minervois and Saint Chinian. Here are just a few wines from this exceptional region consumers can explore with just a few sips. Retail prices are approximate.
The Limoux is an area known for predominantly white wines — both still and sparkling. As a matter of fact, there is evidence that the art of secondary bottle fermentation (that produces bubbles in the wine) was practiced in the region before it was known in Champagne. The 2007 Antech-Limoux Grande Reserva is a sparkling wine that uses a blend made up predominantly of mauzac with small amounts of chardonnay and chenin blanc added in. The mouth-filling palate features flavors of apricot, green apple and white fig. The tight bubbles carry additional notes of pear and nectarine across the persistent finish. At $17, it is a nice value for a sparkling wine.
With the 2007 vintage, the former Coteaux du Languedoc AOC officially became known as simply “AOC Languedoc.” This was done to make things simpler for the consumer as well as highlight the diversity of the area’s wines. At the center of this appellation is the lovely 2005 Mas Belles Eaux. This $20 red wine is mostly syrah based with 20 percent grenache and 10 percent mourvedre blended in. A huge blast of blueberry fruit on the nose leads to warm flavors of black fruit and spice on the palate. The firm tannins and ripe fruit allow the wine to be enjoyed young but also provide aging potential.
Another red wine blend from the Languedoc AOC, the 2007 Chateau Paul Mas Clos des Mures was my favorite wine of the flight. A syrah-based blend, this complex beauty delivers wonderful blackberry, black currant and baking spices on the front of the palate while notes of cocoa and melted black licorice jump in on the elegantly structured finish. At just $18, it is drinking like wines twice or three times the price.
The Corbieres appellation is situated between the Pyrenees and Massif Central Mountains, where a diverse geological composition features soils that include shale, limestone, sandstone and marl. This complex terroir is evident in the 2007 Castelmaure Col des Vents — a blend of carignane, grenache and syrah — where aromas of ripe black cherry mix with scents of dried herbs on the fragrant bouquet. The mouth-watering flavors of ripe black fruit, smoked meat and rosemary notes fill out the entire palate while hints of wet stone add a profound touch of elegance on the medium-bodied finish. Hard to believe this wine is only $10 a bottle.
The 2005 Domaine du Grand Cres is a grenache based bombshell also from the Corbieres AOC. It is fermented on its skins for a remarkable three weeks and then aged for one year (50 percent of it in wood barrels). A pretty wine, featuring a soft bouquet of wild flowers and red raspberries that are mimicked on the palate. Additional flavors of wild strawberry and pomegranate fold in on the easy finish. A $14 value for a wine that drinks well now and for the next two years.
The vineyards of the Minervois appellation are spread across a natural geological amphitheater, bordered by the Canal du Midi to the south and the Montagne Noire to the north. The 2004 L’Ostal Cazes comes from the smaller Minervois la Liviniere AOC inside the Minervois region. While this remarkable blend of syrah, carignon, grenache and mourvedre produces a powerful-yet-seductive wine, it is the extraordinary balance between the black fruit flavors — blackberry, dark cherry and plum — and the velvety tannins that captivate the palate. The great structure and gorgeous finish justifies the $35 price tag.
