Languedoc Flashcards
Who is Arnaud de Villeneuve?
He was a physician/alchemist who is credited with developing the technique of mutage.
Mutage is the process of adding spirit to fermenting must in order to obtain a stable sweet wine.
This resulting sweet wine is called vins doux naturels (created 400 years before port wine).
What innovation did the monks of Saint-Hillair discover?
The sparkling phenomenon in 1531 while crafting Blanquette de Limoux … 150 years before Dom Perignon began his winemaking career in Champagne.
What is the Canal du Midi?
This canal connects the Mediterranean port of Sete to the Garonne River in Toulouse. The Garonne then flows to Bordeaux and the Gironde Estuary, and from there to the Atlantic. It was 150mi/240km in length and was constructed over the course of more than 10 years. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.
Which was the first French wine region to be replanted on American rootstocks after phylloxera?
Languedoc
How many co-operatives are there in Languedoc?
Approx. 150
What percentage of the total production in Languedoc is produced by co-ops?
70%
Which is the largest winemaking region in southern France?
Languedoc and Roussillon
They were officially joined administratively in 1972.
Which appellations can incorporate grapes from both Languedoc and Roussillon?
- the regional Pays d’Oc IGP
- the regional Languedoc AOC
What percentage of wines produced in Languedoc are AOC, IGP, or Vin de France?
- 10% AOC
- 74% IGP-level
- 16% Vin de France
Where is the Languedoc located?
This region is located on France’s southwestern Mediterranean coastline and is bordered by the Rhone Valley and its delta to the northeast and Roussillon to the south.
To the northwest lie the Cevennes Mountains; the mountains of the Pyrenees dominate the southwest. Between the two is a weather corridor to the Atlantic via Carcassonne and Toulouse.
This region encompasses 4 French departements: Lozere, Gard (partial), Herault and Aude,
What is the climate in the Languedoc?
Mediterranean
It experiences 2 seasons:
* mild winters
* hot, dry summers
How much sunshine does Languedoc get annually?
2,530 hours (approx. 316 days/365) per year.
How much rainfall does Languedoc receive?
Average of 27in/686mm per annum.
Rainfall arrives in the form of violent storms that can flood the parched landscape.
The rainy season bookends the summer months and if it happens too early in the fall, it can devastate the harvest.
What is Episode Cevenol?
This is a weather phenomenon that generally happens in autumn, when warm, moisture-laden air hovering over the Mediterranean blows inland as a south wind in conjunction with a depression/low pressure system over the Bay of Biscay to the west. This south wind is then blocked by the Cevennes, which have already developed a cold air mass midst their peaks by this time of year.
The ongoing collision between trapped hot & cold air masses forms and re-forms clouds which drop heavy rains that can last for days, unleashing very high levels of precipitation and causing damaging floods before the Mistral & Tramontane winds re-establish themselves and clear the skies.
How do the various winds in Languedoc influence the climate?
Sea winds bringing unwanted moisture to the vineyards are counterbalanced by the Tramontane and other strong winds (Mistral) that blow from the north and/or west.
The north winds bring cool air during the summer months and chase away humidity, thereby reducing disease pressure.
Where do the more concentrated wines of Languedoc hail from?
The more mountainous areas:
* vines experience true winter dormancy
* cooler summers
* significant diurnal temperature swings
What geological events contributed to the formation of the Languedoc landscape?
- Mountain-building episodes which created the Alps & Pyrenees
- Repeated sea invasions & retreats
- Intense weathering processes during inter-glacial periods
What are the 3 different topographical zones and meso-climates that the Languedoc can be divided into?
- Coastal plains: stretches from Narbonne & Beziers to beyond Montpellier; flat, low-lying, fertile & decidedly Mediterranean. Much of the area is planted to high-yielding grapes destined for entry-level IGP bottlings.
- Hillsides & mountains: Mediterranean warmth is mitigated by elevations of up to 1,320ft/400m; soils are well-drained. Some AOCs are located here.
- Atlantic corridor: the western extremity of the Languedoc where the Atlantic & Mediterranean forces meet; Bordeaux varieties are planted here alongside their Mediterranean counterparts, often under an AOC banner.
What factors contribute to the Languedoc’s vast array of growing conditions?
- elevation (hills/mountains)
- proximity to the sea
- complex geology
What soil types are found in Languedoc?
Some hillside slopes are comprised of limestone & soils derived from that limestone.
On other hill sites, there are pockets of granite, gneiss & schist.
The vast lowland plains are mostly comprised of younger sedimentary and/or alluvial soils, such as iron-rich gravels, sand, marl, clay & silt.
What is garrigue?
This term has 3 definitions in southern France:
1. limestone soil
2. resinous herbs & scrub vegetation that grows upon that limestone soil
3. the aroma of those herbs when crushed underfoot or echoed in the aromatic profile of the wines themselve
How many grape varieties are grown in the Languedoc?
Over 100
* the majority are IGP approved
* a smaller subset is AOC approved
How is the Languedoc’s historic connection to Spain evident in the vineyards?
Many Spanish grape varieties are planted here:
* Grenache (Garnacha)
* Mourvedre (Monastrell)
* Carignan (Carinena)
Name the white grapes of the Languedoc.
- Bourboulenc
- Mauzac Blanc
- Piquepoul (Blanc)
- Muscat a Petits Grains Blanc
Others: Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Vermentino, Macabeu/Maccabeu, Chardonnay & Chenin Blanc
Which is the main white grape variety in the La Clape AOC?
Bourboulenc
Which white grape variety crafts varietal wine in the Clairette du Langudoc AOC?
Clairette
This is also one of the primary varieties in the white wine of La Clape.
Which grape stars as the sole variety in Blanquette Methode Ancestrale in Limoux?
Mauzac Blanc
It also features:
* alone or in a blend for Blanquette de Limoux
* as a partner to Chenin Blanc & Chardonnay in still white Limoux
Which grape is the sole variety of Picpoul de Pinet AOC?
Piquepoul (Blanc)
Which aromatic Muscat grape variety is used in Languedoc’s four VDN AOCs?
Muscat a Petits Grains Blanc
Name the rose/gris grape varieties of the Languedoc
Grenache Gris: the most well-known rose grape in this region’s AOCs
Others: Carignan Gris, Clairette Rose, Piquepoul Gris, Rivairenc Gris, & Terret Gris.
Name the red grape varieties of the Languedoc.
- Grenache Noir
- Syrah
- Mourvedre
Others: Cinsaut, Fer Servadou, Lledoner Pelut & Carignan.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Cot are approved for the AOCs within the Atlantic corridor.
How is the Grenache Noir grape variety typically bottled in the Languedoc?
Customarily blended with Syrah, Mourvedre and/or Carignan.
It is not typically bottled as a single variety in this region.
The Syrah variety is a major component of Languedoc reds, especially in which AOCs?
- Minervois AOC
- Pic Saint-Loup AOC
- Terrasses du Larzac AOC
What vine training method is used in Languedoc?
- Gobelet is the traditional method
- Many vineyards are now switching to Guyot; this method accomodates mechanical harvesters & is physically less demanding to prune
What orientation are the vineyards in Languedoc typically planted at?
East-west facing: this provides maximum sun exposure to the entire vine canopy.
(North-south orientations will always have a shaded side throughout the day)
What are the regulations surrounding irrigation in Languedoc?
It is permitted through the end of April, but the grower must submit a petition.
(There is a high risk of drough during the growing season in this region)
What measures are being taken to conserve water in the Languedoc?
- Wastewater is increasingly reprocessed
- Drought-resistant rootstocks are being sought-after
What is the status of the organic vineyards in Languedoc-Roussillon?
- 38% of France’s organic vineyards
- 7% of the world’s organic vineyards
- 47 certified biodynamic domaines
- there are also a number of producers who work organically or biodynamically but have not applied for certification
(as of 2019)
Which mildew-resistant grape varieties has Languedoc been experimenting with for over a decade?
- Souvignier Gris
- Cabernet Cortis
- Muscaris
- Floreal
- Soreli
These are approved for inclusion in Coteaux du Pont du Gard IGP (2019).
Which grape varieties have producers been experimenting with in the wake of increasing temperatures due to climate change?
- Agiorgitiko (Greece)
- Assyrtiko (Greece)
- Marselan: a successful recent cross; thick-skinned
- Aspiran Noir (Rivairenc): heritage variety
- Aramon : heritage variety
Who is John Bojanowski?
He is a wine producer of Clos d Gravillas in Saint-Jean-de-Minervois who created the “Carignan Renaissance” association in order to promote a drought-resistant grape that used to be the historic backbone of the Languedoc red blend.
How are white wines produced in the Languedoc?
By direct press or given a few hours of skin maceration.
Some high-caliber whites, like Limoux, undergo barrel fermentation.
How are rose wines produced in the Languedoc?
- Direct press or
- Saignee
How are red wines produced in the Languedoc?
- Grapes may undergo cold soak
- Aged for an average of 2 years, often in vats, before bottling
- Aging, for better vintages and/or more prestigious bottlings, often takes place in barrel
How is red wine from Carignan made in the Languedoc?
This often undergoes carbonic maceration to tame its aggressive tannins.
