Welcome to
Languedoc!
Between the warm sun of the Mediterranean Sea and cooling Atlantic winds, you’ll find AOP Languedoc, a regional appellation characterized by a diversity of terroir, a wide array of wines and a southern French character that stands apart. Nature defines the region, delivering more than 300 days of sunshine each year to nurture the independentspiritofourgrowers,winemakersandnégociants.
AOP Languedoc is the regional or “flagship” appellation encompassing an expansiveareaofthegreaterLanguedocwineregionandformingacommon coreforitsmyriadanddiversevineyardsites.
AOP LANGUEDOC
About AOP Languedoc: Did you know?
AOP Languedoc is one of the youngest appellations in the region, first recognized in 2007. Other AOPs exist within the Languedoc region but tend to have stricter production regulations, cover smaller geographical areas, or have smaller production levels. AOP Languedoc wines can be red, white, or rosé, whereasotherAOPsmaybelimitedtoacertaincolor orstyleofwineandmayincludesparklingwines.
New name : AOP Languedoc
3 colors
(red, white and rosé)
VDQS Coteaux du Languedoc
AOP Coteaux du Languedoc
35% 10% 55%
5 bottles of AOP Languedoc are sold every second
are sold in France are sold abroad
Volume of Rosé exported: +160% in 10 years
U.S.
#1 export market by volume/value in 2022
LANGUEDOC: A HISTORY OF INNOVATION
Bubbles! BLANQUETTE DE LIMOUX
The first sparkling wine was made in Languedoc
The Roman Era
Planting of hillside vineyards
1709
1285
1st Century BC
1544
Discovery of fortifying wines by Arnaud de Villeneuve
GRAFTING developed by Jules-Émile Planchon against phylloxera crisis (1868)
1873
LANGUEDOC: A HISTORY OF INNOVATION
1970 1993 2007 1st Millésime Bio The world’s first all-organic expo 1960 VDQS Coteaux du Languedoc 1985 AOP Coteaux du Languedoc AOP Languedoc Modern expansion 1988 White production allowed ALAIN BOUQUET The father of resistant grape varieties began his research at L’ INRA in Montpellier
Geography as diverse as terroirs and winemakers…
The geographical scope of AOP Languedoc stretches more than 150 miles from Nîmes on the Mediterranean coast down to the Spanish border. It is bordered to the East by the Mediterranean Sea and in the West by the foothills of the Cévennes and the MontagneNoire.
SomeKeyNumbers:
● 10,000Ha(approx.24,000acres)
● 4FrenchDepartments
● 250,000Hlproducedin2020
● 3,600hoursofsunshine
● 200daysofwind
Aude
Hérault Gard
Pyrénées Orientales
CityofMontpellier CityofCollioure CityofNîmes
2,500 years of winegrowing history
…Acting now to preserve the future
In2022,AOPLanguedocimplementednewrequirementsfortheappellation.Many newspecificationsfocusonthecollectiveimportanceofpreservingterroirthrough resourceconservationandadaptationstoclimatechange.
Agro-EnvironmentalMeasures
● Further implementation of water preservation and recycling systems on domainesandinwinemakingprocess
● Prohibitionofplasticmulching
● Prohibitionofchemicalweedingbetweenrows&headlands
NewGrapeVarieties
● Selectedbasedonheritageandabilitytoadapttoclimatechange
● Heirloomvarieties:PiquepoulNoir,OeilladeNoir
● Non-nativevarieties:Calabrese,Montepulciano,Assyrtiko
30% of producers have an environmental certification
15% of producers are organic
2028 Objective:
40% HVE vineyards
20% organic vineyards
TYPES OF TERROIR
Four main terroir types can be found within AOP Languedoc: sandstone, schist, clay and limestone.
AOP Languedoc can be divided into three climatic zones: Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Hills & Mountains. Each has a different combination of climate and geographical factors which impact the vines and grapes including ocean winds, mountain protection andsaltyseaspray.
Most AOP Languedoc wines are produced in the Mediterranean and Hills & Mountains zones, offering surprising profiles greatly influencedbytheirterroirs.
The Mediterranean Sea is a unifying force connecting the diverse landscape of AOP Languedoc.
an extremely brittle rock
Sandstone: pebbles
Limestone: poor soil
Clay: water retention
TYPICAL VEGETATION
Vegetation and plants grown in the vicinity of vines are very important and can play strong roles in flavor and aroma profiles of the wine. AOP Languedoc has two key vegetation groups, Garrigue and Maquis, traits of which can be found in a variety of styles.
Garrigue Maquis
Acidic soils, siliceous
Sage bay, lavender, heathers, arbutus
Non acidic soils, primarily limestone
Thyme, rosemary, spike lavender, juniper, boxwood, holm oak
AOP
LANGUEDOC: STILL WINE STYLES - TASTING GUIDE
WHITES
TOP VARIETIES
Carignan
35% ofall production
Syrah
Grenache
Mourvèdre
Lledoner pelut
STYLES TO LOOK FOR
55% ofall production
Cinsault
Counoise
Grenache gris
Morrastel
Piquepoul noir
Rivairenc
Terret noir
(For rosé, some white grapes varieties can be used)
Diversity through their singularity:Aromas characteristic of the Mediterranean terroir and in particular notes of ripe red fruits, spices and garrigue.
10% ofall production
Grenache blanc
Bourboulenc
Piquepoul blanc
Clairette
Roussanne
Marsanne
Viognier
Vermentino
Malvoisie
Carignan blanc
Macabeu
Terret Blanc
A range of rosé styles: Fresh fruit aromas and freshness
Good to know: Languedoc has a longstanding tradition in white wines, with aromas of white flowers (almond trees) and fruits (citrus fruits, pears, etc.) with an unexpected freshness
É
ROS
%
CONTACT
Contacts in the US: Katie Keith – katie@gregoryvine.com
Claire Martin – claire@gregoryvine.com
Contact in France:
Estelle Nijhof – enijhof@languedoc-wines.com
@AOPLanguedocWines
