Discover the Red Wine Appellations of Languedoc: A Journey Through the Land of Vineyards

Languedoc white wine: Discovering the region's wine

The Languedoc Roussillon vineyards represent 1/3 of French production. There are a large number of red wine appellations there. which are distinguished by their character and richness.

From sunny hillsides to varied terroirs, each appellation offers a palette of flavors and aromas to create a fine red wine . Let's discover the most famous Languedoc appellations and their unique features.

The emblematic Appellations of Controlled Origin (AOC)

The Controlled Designations of Origin of Languedoc-Roussillon

Among the most renowned appellations of Languedoc are evocative names such as Saint-Chinian, Minervois, Corbières and Fitou. Each of these AOCs carries within it the history and tradition of the Languedoc vineyard. You will also find other less common names but just as complex and unique on the palate, which aspire to become the best red wine .

Saint-Chinian: Elegance and Structure

Recognized for its elegant and structured red wines,
The Saint-Chinian appellation seduces with its diversity of grape varieties, including Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Saint-Chinian wines combine freshness and intensity, with notes of red fruits and spices that make them perfect companions for a wide variety of Mediterranean dishes.

Heritage Year 1877 – Saint Chinian AOC

Minervois: Tradition and Authenticity

The AOC Minervois and Minervois
La Livinière , in the heart of Languedoc, is renowned for its rich and powerful red wines, made particularly from Carignan, Syrah and Grenache grape varieties. With their strong tannic structure, Minervois wines reveal aromas of ripe fruit and garrigue, reflecting the authenticity and tradition of this ancestral wine-growing region.

Château Laville Bertrou – Minervois La Livinière AOC

Le Viala – Minervois la Livinière AOC

Heritage Year 873 – Minervois AOP

Corbières: Harmony and Balance

The Corbières appellation, and Corbières Boutenac Marked by its rocky terroir and Mediterranean climate, produces red wines of great elegance and perfect balance. Emblematic grape varieties such as Carignan, Syrah and Mourvèdre give Corbières wines subtle aromas of black fruits, licorice and garrigue, for an unforgettable sensory experience.

Villemajou Castle – Corbières Boutenac AOC

The Forge – Corbières Boutenac AOC

Fitou: Power and Character

Renowned as the first AOC appellation of Languedoc
dedicated exclusively to A red wine , Fitou is distinguished by its powerful character and aromatic intensity. Fitou wines, made primarily from Carignan and Grenache grape varieties, offer remarkable depth and complexity, with notes of candied fruit, spices and undergrowth that delight even the most discerning palates.

Heritage Year 990 – Fitou AOC

The Côtes du Roussillon: Kingdom of Grenache

To the south of the Fitou appellation, we discover a group
of renowned appellations such as Côtes du Roussillon, Les Aspres and Tautavel , followed by Collioure with the wines and great red wines of Banyuls. These lands bathed in the Mediterranean sun offer a terroir conducive to the cultivation of emblematic grape varieties such as Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. The wines produced in these appellations are distinguished by their warm and sunny character, with
aromas of ripe fruit, spices and garrigue that captivate the senses.

Heritage Year 560 – Côtes du Roussillon villages Tautavel

Heritage Year 1886 – Côtes du Roussillon Les Aspres

La Clape: Mediterranean Elegance

Around Narbonne, the La Clape AOC appellation emerges, characterized by its red wines of incomparable elegance. The vineyards of La Clape , located between land and sea, benefits from a Mediterranean climate ideal for the expression of local grape varieties such as Mourvèdre and Carignan. The wines of La Clape are full of freshness, finesse and subtle aromas of red fruits and aromatic herbs.

Château L’Hospitalet – La Clape AOC

L’Hospitalitas – La Clape AOC

Château des Karantes – La Clape AOC

Malepère: Tradition and Authenticity to the West of Carcassonne

West of Carcassonne, the Malepère AOC appellation embodies the ancestral winemaking tradition of Languedoc. The vineyards of Malepère , nestled between hills and valleys, produces balanced and generous red wines, based on grape varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Malepère wines are distinguished by their elegant tannic structure and aromas of black fruits and spices.

Château La Soujeole – Malepère AOC

The Terraces of Larzac and Languedoc-Cabrières: The Wines of the Northern Mountains

Further north, in the mountains, are the Terrasses du Larzac and Languedoc-Cabrières appellations. These regions, characterized by their limestone soils and cool climate, produce red wines of great complexity and remarkable finesse. Grape varieties such as Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault reveal their full expression in these mountainous terroirs, offering wines with intense aromas of black fruits, liquorice and garrigue, reflecting the majesty of the landscapes that saw them born.

Heritage Year 100 – Terraces of Larzac AOC

Château La Sauvageonne – Terraces of Larzac AOC

Heritage Year 462 – Languedoc AOC

Mediterranean Appellations around Montpellier

Heading down towards the Mediterranean, near Montpellier, we discover a collection of prestigious appellations such as Languedoc Grès de Montpellier, Pic Saint-Loup, Languedoc Saint-Drézéry, and Languedoc Montpeyroux. These appellations, characterized by their stony terroir and sunny climate, produce red wines of great finesse and rare elegance. Typical grape varieties such as Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre blend harmoniously to offer wines with complex aromas of red fruits, spices and garrigue.

Heritage An 782 – Grès de Montpellier AOC

Heritage An 1189 – Pic Saint Loup AOC

Heritage Year 1070 – Montpeyroux AOP

Languedoc red wine appellations with Gérard Bertrand

By exploring the appellations of red wine From Languedoc with Gérard Bertrand, we discover a fascinating world where tradition, terroir, and passion combine to create wines of exceptional quality. Whether you're a wine lover looking for new discoveries or a seasoned connoisseur, let yourself be seduced by the red wine appellations of Languedoc, true jewels of French viticulture.

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