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ART OF LIVING WINES OF THE SOUTH OF FRANCE
Thelargest vineyard in theworld Owing to its generous climate, the wealth and multitude of its local areas, Languedoc-Roussillon is a vineyard of rapidly developing quality. It is also the largest and oldest vineyard in the world, which stretches over more than 220,000 hectares.
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f, to rephrase the celebrated formula In vino veritas, “the truth is to be found in the wine”, then Languedoc-Roussillon is truly a blessed land! It is on this land that growing grapes expanded, as, after the import of grapevines by the Greeks in 600 B.C. in the south of Gaul, wine-making developed around the Via Domitia, the Roman road linking Narbonne to Rome. The grapevines were developed over a period of twenty centuries, until wine-making became the main economic motor of the region. At the end of the 19th century, Languedoc and a part of Roussillon were then just rows of vines.
A region at the forefront of organic wine
It was at the end of the seventies that Languedoc-Roussillon began to redefine the vintner’s trade, to take advantage of the quality of its local areas. In 1985, just thirty years ago, the wines of the Languedoc hillsides, as well as those of Minervois and Corbières, became, following the example of Fitou and the coasts of Roussillon, registered designation of origin (AOC).
Varied AOC that offer a quality marked with diversity in a territory that cultivates sweet natural wines (the muscats of Lunel, Mireval, Frontignan, Saint-Jean-de-Minervois, Rivesaltes, Banyuls, Banyuls Grand Cru and Maury), the sparkling wines (including Blanquette and Crémant de Limoux) and a range of reds, whites and rosés. No other region can claim such a broad range, with over thirty varieties cultivated. In a few decades, the wine-makers and wine-specialists reinvented themselves to favour quality wines, develop concepts, try out experiments while conforming to tradition and promote the development of wine from organic agriculture, which already covers 20,500 hectares, or nearly 10% of the vineyards, making the Region of Languedoc-Roussillon the champion of organic wines of France, far ahead of other grapegrowing regions.
A large aromatic palette Land of sun-drenched wines, LanguedocRoussillon is the flag-bearer of respected diversity, which enables the production of SUDDEFRANCE - 70 -
wines with a generous, subtle character. Grapevines planted in shale which fortifies the wines of Saint-Chinian, from the Côtes du Roussillon and Languedoc to the pebbly local areas by way of the Corbières, which produced these spicy red wines such as the areas of Lézignan, Boutenac and Lagrasse, the aromatic palette of wines is very broad! With an area of over 200,000 hectares, of which 70,000 are within the Designation of Controlled Origin (AOC), Languedoc-Roussillon remains the largest vineyard in the world with a single tenant, rich in Protected Geographical Locations (PGL) and designations (over thirty) as diverse as Cabardès, Collioure, Crémant de Limoux, Fitou, Muscat de Frontignan and Languedoc. In addition, since 2007, a unique designation known as “AOC Languedoc” groups together the designations* located between the border with Spain and Gard, to enable better identification by consumers. Moreover, implementing the joint brand name “Sud de France" makes it possible to offer to wine lovers a tipple symbolising the identity and the modernity of the South, while maintaining this universally praised