France - South of France Flashcards
How is the south of France geographically divided? Since when?
This covers the Languedoc, Roussillon and Provence.
Since 2016 the administrative region of Languedoc-Roussillon has been part of the wider Occitanie administrative region, and divided into two parts:
-Languedoc: the departments of Aude, Herault and Gard
-Roussillon: the departments of Pyrenees-Orientales.
What is the total area under vine of Languedoc-Roussillon?
240,000ha, more than Chile, Australia or Argentina individually. 220,000 of these are in the Languedoc.
What is the common factor across all three regions, regarding yields?
Very low across AOC wines due to low rainfall and a warm, windy climate (high rates of evapotranspiration).
In a survey of yields for AOC wine from 2005-2015 it was found the Languedoc-Roussillon had the lowest yields of all French regions, roughly half Champagne or Alsace.
What is the general topography of the Languedoc?
Mainly located on a low lying alluvial plain, though recently ambitiois growers have been reclaiming vineyards on hillside slopes with the intention of creating higher quality wines.
What is the general climate and typical varieties grown in the Languedoc?
Mediterranean, and a large range including local varieties, eg, Piquepol and those typical of South France including GSM.
Where is a large amount of production in the Languedoc focused?
IGP wines, especially those produced by and labelled as single varietals.
What is the winemaking history of the Languedoc?
It had both a Greek and a Roman colony as well as being the site of many monasteries in the Middle Ages.
It’s fortunes were transformed by the building of the Canal du Midi (connecting it to Bordeaux in the late 17th century) and of the railways (middle 19th century), enabling wines to be efficiently transported to export markets and Paris.
As a result, grape growing and winemaking become important drivers of the regions economy.
What is the most significant wine business in the Languedoc?
Co-operatives, which today account for 70% of production, but even that has declined from 90% in the 1950s.
What is the history of the Languedoc’s popularity?
Post 1973, once France no longer sourced wine from Algeria, Languedoc and Roussillon became the largest source of every day wine in France.
Over-production in relation to demand led to the eventual removal of many vineyards and today the total area under vine is half what it used to be in 1968.
Today, the production of inexpensive wine is accompanied by increasing attention to small production, high quality wines.
How many hectares make up the Roussillon? How does this compare to previously?
21,000 ha today, roughly a third of what it was in 1980, the same as in other parts of southern Europe.
Where is the Roussillon located, and what is the general topography?
Largely in the foothills of the Pyrenees, and as a result vineyards are largely on the slopes or foothills. There is no extensive fertile coastal plain suited for high volume, as there is in the Languedoc.
What is the breakdown of production from the Roussillon?
Roughly 70% of land is AOC.
25% of production is for VDN, then there’s roughly equal production of AOC and PGI wines.
The vast majority is red wine production, followed by rosé with a small amount of white.
Which type of producer is the most significant in the Roussillon?
Co-operatives, accounting for 75%.
What style of wine has Prvence become known for? What is it made from and how much is produced?
Synonymous with pale pink rosé, made from Grenache Noir and Cinsaut, a style copied across the globe.
Rosé accounts for 90% of Provence’s production, which is in turn 40% of all France’s AOC rosé production.
What varieties are red and white wines made from in Provence? How much of these are produced?
Reds: GSMCC, and reds have become a new focus in the region.
Whites: Vermentino/Rolle and Clairette. Very small volumes.
