TASTE LANGUEDOC, TASTE ADVENTURE Leurs Vins Pour Notre Temps - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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TASTE LANGUEDOC, TASTE ADVENTURE

‘Leurs Vins Pour Notre Temps’ Training Presentation

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Languedoc

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Why Languedoc?

• History: Oldest Wine Culture in France
• Diversity: Soil, Varieties, Traditions
• Consistency and Quality: no, seriously!
• Trend Leaders: Rosé and Organic

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Languedoc: Key Points

• Some of the oldest wine regions in Europe
• Sète – Ancient fishing village, vineyards have been in the area for thousands of years
• Source of Innovation and Progressive Thought
• Sparkling Wine – Limoux, 1544 (sorry Dom Pérignon)
• Gosset, oldest Champagne house founded 1584
• Mutage developed in 12th century in Montpellier
• Arnaud de Villeneuve
• Many wine techniques were “invented” in Languedoc; home to one of the oldest

universities in Europe

• University of Toulouse 1229 AD
• Techniques to manage: hydric stress, fermentation temperature control, resistant

varieties and rootstocks…

• Social Responsibility and equality
• Cathars - didn’t eat meat, didn’t believe in church buildings, regarded men and

women as equals… 12th – 14th century!

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Languedoc: Key Points

• Largest Quality Wine Region in the world
• Approximately 1.4 million hectoliters produced in 2018 (of AOC wines)
• Roughly 15.5 million 9L cases
• 1/3 of all French wine is from Languedoc-Roussillon
• Climate is consistent and relatively stable
• Low rainfall, cooling winds, and long growing season from proximity to the Mediterranean
• 320 days of sunshine per year, average temperature 15°C/59°F
• Rosé Takes Center Stage
• +25% in rosé winemaking in the past two years - Languedoc is the leading producer of rosé

in France

• Accounts for 30% of total French rosés and 11% of the world’s production.
• Greatest Number of French Organic Vineyards
• 29% of all French Organic Vineyards, 6% of global

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Languedoc: Key Points

• The Rise of Languedoc Rosé
• An increase in production of +68% in two years time
• Languedoc is the new first name is rosé!

62% = Production share of the regional AOC Languedoc appellation

Rosé production (in hL) from the AOCs of Languedoc

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Languedoc: Key Points

• Organic Leaders
• Currently the largest organic vineyard area in France, over 22k hectares
• Thinking long term, planning for the future

29% of all French

• rganic

viticulture 6% of global

• rganic

viticulture Largest amount

• f French

vineyard area currently in conversion (5,829 ha) Double the amount of

• rganic

vineyard area

The 10 Year Plan

40% of producers with some form of high value certification, such as Terra Vitis 60% of surfaces committed to the process of sustainable development

Now

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Languedoc: Location, Influences

Pyrenees Mtns Mediterranean Sea Cevennes Mtns ‘Tramontane’ Wind ‘Marin’ Wind Sunshine, Winds, Little Rainfall and Geological Diversity

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Languedoc: Diversity Within

5 Main Zones: Elemental Languedoc

• Mountain – more continental climates, the

north of the region, often resembles Rhône in profile and structure

• Coastal – strong Mediterranean influence,

abundant sunshine, more lush, riper styles of wine

• South – closest to Roussillon AOCs, larger

amounts of Carignan

• Center – heart of the region, flatter land, more

volume production

• West – mix of continental and Atlantic

influences, most sparkling wines found here, higher elevation and more diverse meso- and microclimates

Center South Coastal Mountain West

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Languedoc: Production and Styles

• 93% of wines are still
• 5% sparkling: Mauzac,

Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir

• 2% fortified: Muscats
• 74% of still wines are red
• Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre,

Carignane, Cinsault, Cinsault…

• 16% of still wines are rosé
• 10% of still wines are white
• Piquepoul, Grenache Blanc,

Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier…

10% 16% 74% Blanc Rosé Rouge

Production breakdown of the Languedoc AOP wines

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Languedoc: Regional Breakdown

• Designations:
• AOP: Appellation d’Origine Protegée =

about 14% of region’s total production (many still use AOC)

• IGP: Indication Geographique Protegée

= about 60% of production

• The Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins

du Languedoc (CIVL) represents the AOPs and IGPs - But NOT IGP Pays d’Oc

• Within the AOP segment, Languedoc is

seeing an ongoing evolution of appellations and designations

IGP 60%

26%

AOP 14%

Vins SANS Indication Geographique (ex-Vins de Table) = Vin de France

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Languedoc: Prevailing Terroirs

Calcaires / limestones Galets roulés / rolled pebbles Grès / sandstone Schistes/shales Molasses Sandy-clay and clay- limestone soils Generally poor soils, well drained, allows for strong and deep root systems. In general, the darker the soil, the more dense and structured the wine will be.

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Languedoc: Misunderstandings

• “Languedoc is the Wine Lake”
• Previously known for producing large quantities of wine, new AOC/IGP/Crus help to

promote quality image

• “Affordable = Cheaply Made”
• Majority of Languedoc AOC wines are made in styles and using techniques that are

celebrated in more “traditional quality” regions

• “Wines Are Not Specific to Region They Come From”
• Garrigue: Mix of herbs that grow wild in the region: rosemary, thyme, sage, lavender,

juniper

• Soils are diverse and revealed in the quality wines
• “Nobody Cares About Vineyards in the South”
• ~30% of France’s organic wine comes from Languedoc

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Languedoc: Misunderstandings

• Evolution – the number of scores for Languedoc AOC wines given by the Wine Advocate
• 25 fold increase in 5 years
• Publication now dedicated to reviewing the wines annually

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Languedoc: Selling Points

Why should you and your customers choose Languedoc Wines?

• Features and Benefits
• Fast growing category → strong interest

in the category, consumers are seeking these out as the new ‘discoveries’

• Mediterranean influence → Consistency

from year to year

• Great QPR → consumers will find quality

in each bottle

• Innovative, dynamic region → exciting,

authentic wine choices (discoveries) that integrate tradition and modernity

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Languedoc: Selling points

More reasons to choose Languedoc

• Blanquette and Crémant de Limoux are

traditional method, sparkling wines (Champagne quality) at much more approachable prices

• Languedoc’s rosé wines offer Provence style

for more approachable prices.

• Discovery - Whites and reds offer new grapes

and blends for consumers to enjoy

• ~30% of all of France’s organic viticulture

comes from Languedoc

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Languedoc: The Pitch

What to focus on if you have - 30 seconds with a customer:

• Languedoc, South of France produces wines of all styles and colors: reds, whites, rosés, sparkling and

sweet wines

• Proximity to the Mediterranean Sea means vintage consistency, lush flavor profiles, and an

abundance of organic production

• Key grapes from the region are ones you might already know like Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre
• AOC segment represents top quality

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Languedoc: The Pitch

What to focus on if you have - 2 minutes with a customer:

• Languedoc, South of France produces wines of all styles and colors: reds, whites, rosés, sparkling and

sweet wines

• Majority of production is red blends
• Languedoc is also largest producer of French rosé, similar in style to rosés from Provence
• Mediterranean climate allows for greater vintage consistency than other areas of France
• Also means an abundance of organic production
• Key grapes from the region are ones you might already know like Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.
• Plus new grapes like Piquepoul – a white wine
• And some of the first sparkling wines in France
• AOC segment represents top quality
• Wines showcase notes of garrique (blend of wild herbs: rosemary, thyme, sage), which you cook with,

making these wines great food partners

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Languedoc: Key Appellations

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Languedoc: Keys Appellations

What are some of the AOCs (AOPs) most commonly seen in the US market?

• AOC Languedoc (long-dock)
• Corbières (cor-bee-air) and Corbières Boutenac
• Faugères (fowj-air)
• Fitou (fee-too)
• La Clape (la clap)
• Limoux (lee-moo) – Blanquette (blonk-ette) or Crémant (cray-mont)
• Minervois (min-er-vwah) and Minervois la Livinière
• Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois
• Picpoul de Pinet (peek-pool duh pee-nay)
• Pic Saint Loup (peek-san-loo)
• Saint-Chinian (san shin-ee-an), Roquebrun and Berlou
• Terrasses du Larzac (tear-ahs doo lar-zak)

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AOC Languedoc

• AOC Languedoc (established in 2007) – “The Base”
• What geographical area does this cover: Encompasses all AOC areas within Languedoc-

Roussillon

• What other name might you see on the label: AOC Coteaux du Languedoc
• What grapes can be included:
• Must be a blend of at least 2 approved varieties
• Reds/Rosés: Grenache Noir (Lledoner Pelut), Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Carignan
• Whites: Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Vermentino, Clairette,

Piquepoul

• Other requirements:
• All grapes must be grown in AOP delimited areas
• Can only include approved varieties (this list is smaller than that for IGP wines)

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Pic Saint Loup

• Pic Saint Loup – “Closest to Rhone” – recently elevated to stand alone AOC (2017)
• Zone: Mountain
• Only approved for Red (90%) and Rosé (10%) wines. Whites can be AOC Languedoc
• Rainfall is higher here than other areas, garrigue very noticeable and prevalent
• Dominated by limestone soils and two particularly large escarpments
• Key grapes:
• Reds/Rosés: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre (no more than 80% of any one variety)
• Notable producers:
• Chateau de Lascaux
• Chateau La Roque
• Chateau de Lancyre
• Ermitage du Pic St Loup
• Mas Foulaquier
• Mas Bruguière

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Terrasses du Larzac

• Terrasses du Larzac – “High quality up and comer”
• Zone: Mountain
• Only approved for Red wines. Whites and Rosés can be AOC Languedoc
• Marked by larger diurnal range, more continental climate
• Varied soils. Producers regularly harvest at yields lower than permitted maximum = high

quality, much critical acclaim.

• Key grapes:
• Reds: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre (min 60%), Carignan, Cinsault (max 30%)
• Notable producers:
• La Peira
• Domaine du Pas de l’Escalette
• Mas Julien
• Mas de l’Écriture

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Picpoul de Pinet

• Picpoul de Pinet – “Picpoul, pick moules (mussels)!”
• Zone: Coastal, Dominated by influence of nearby water, Bassin de Thau and

Mediterranean

• Only approved for White wines
• Perfect partners for all seafood
• Alluvial soils, warm temperate climate
• Key grapes:
• White: Piquepoul
• Notable producers:
• Les Costières de Pomerols
• Domaine Félines Jourdan
• Cave l’Ormarine
• Chateau Saint Martin de la Garrigue

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La Clape

• La Clape – “Lush reds, unique whites”
• Zone: Coastal
• Only approved for Red and White wines. Rosés can be AOC Languedoc. *Home to the

most planting of Bourboulenc anywhere

• One of the hottest and driest parts of France. Limestone and sand soils
• Key grapes:
• Reds: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre (min 70%), Carignan and Cinsault
• Whites: Bourboulenc*(min 40%), Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne,

Piquepoul, Rolle

• Notable producers:
• Gerard Bertrand
• Mas du Soleilla
• Chateau des Karantes

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Corbières

• Corbières – “Heartland of Carignan”
• Zone: South, AOC Corbières-Boutenac is located within larger Corbières area
• Approved for Reds (95%), Whites and Rosés
• Largest appellation in Languedoc – in terms of area and volume of wine produced

(4th largest in France)

• Windy, hot. Emphasis on Carignan in reds
• Key grapes:
• Reds/Rosés: Carignan (max 50%), Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Lledoner Pelut,

Cinsault (max 20% for reds, max 70% for rosés)

• Whites: Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Vermentino,

Clairette, Terret, Muscat (max 10%)

• Notable producers:
• Ollieux Romanis
• Domaine de Fontsainte

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Fitou

• Fitou – “Big, hearty reds from the South”
• Zone: South
• One of the oldest appellations in Languedoc, only approved for Red wines, others can be

AOC Languedoc or IGP

• Divided into 2 subzones:
• Maritime - Soils are clay/limestone near the water
• Haut - limestone/sandstone more inland
• All Fitou must undergo a minimum aging period. Cannot be released until May following

vintage and if oak aged, spend a minimum of 12 months in wood

• Key grapes:
• Reds: Carignan, Grenache (min 60%), Syrah, Mourvèdre
• Notable producers:
• Mont Tauch

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Minervois

• Minervois (Reds (94%), Whites, Rosés) – “Marvelous Minervois”
• Zone: Center, AOC Minervois la Livinière is located within greater Minervois
• Varied soils, though predominantly clay/limestone. All vineyards are south facing
• More emphasis on Syrah compared to neighbor Corbières
• Key grapes:
• Reds/Rosés: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre (min 60%), Carignan, Cinsault, Terret,

Aspiran, Piquepoul (max 40%)

• Whites: Marsanne, Roussanne, Macabeu, Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc,

Vermentino, Muscat à Petits Grains

• Notable producers:
• Chateau d’Oupia
• Chateau Maris
• Chateau Sainte Eulalie
• L’Ostal Blanc

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Saint-Chinian

• Saint-Chinian (Reds/Rosés, Whites) – “Naturally intense”
• Zone: Center
• Schist soil in the north, clay/limestone to the south. Mediterranean climate
• Carignan features less than in either Corbières or Minervois
• Key grapes:
• Reds/Rosés: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Lledoner Pelut (min 70%), Carignan,

Cinsault

• Whites: Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Vermentino (90%)
• Notable producers:
• Caves de Roquebrun
• Domaine Rimbert
• Chateau Viranel
• Laurent Miquel

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Faugères

• Faugères (Reds/Rosés, Whites) – “Mineral Reds”
• Zone: Center
• Schist soils dominate the area, altitude is noticeable compared to nearby areas
• Combination of wind and soils temper the warm climate’s influence on wines; lots of

minerality

• Key grapes:
• Reds/Rosés: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault
• Whites: Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Vermentino
• Notable producers:
• Leon Barral
• Abbaye Sylva Plana
• Chateau la Liquière
• Les Crus Faugères – Mas Olivier

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Limoux

• Limoux (Blanquette, Crémant, still White, still Red) – “The original sparklers”
• Zone: West
• More continental climate (cool), soils are limestone with sandstone, quartz and clay
• Sparkling wines are made in the traditional method, written evidence dating to 1544 (pre-

dates Champagne!)

• Key grapes:
• Blanquette: at least 90% Mauzac, up to 10% Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay
• Crémant: min 40% Chardonnay, balance of Chenin Blanc, Mauzac and/or Pinot Noir
• Notable producers:
• Saint Hilaire
• J. Laurens
• Antech
• Gerard Bertrand
• Domaine Martinolles

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Muscats

• Muscats – “Sweet indulgences”
• Zone: Central (Muscat Saint Jean de Minervois) and Coastal (others)
• 4 separate AOCs for production, one single grape permitted: Muscat à petits grains
• Vins Doux Naturel, must is fortified with grape spirit
• Finished wines: 11% residual sugar, 15-18% alcohol by volume
• All grapes must be harvested by hand, no irrigation is allowed

AOCs:

• Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois (smallest)
• Muscat de Frontignan (largest and oldest)
• Muscat de Lunel
• Muscat de Mireval
• Notable producers:
• Les Vignerons de la Mediterreanée

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Today’s Wines

• Wine 1
• Wine 2
• Wine 3 etc.

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Today’s Wines

Wine Name with vintage AOC Zone Grapes/Blend SRP Vinification/ Viticulture details Notes on Producer Tasting Notes

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Thank you!

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