Languedoc Flashcards
Climate
Miditerranean with high levels of sunshine and very warm summers
Rainfall of 600mm
Cool dry Tramonte wind blows 200 days per year
This and low moisture mean low disease pressure
Enables organic of which Languedoc is 1/3 of France’s
Low rainfall can reduce production where irrigation is not installed
Yields are the lowest in France (1/2 that of Champagne & Alsace)
Grape Varieties
Carignan: 17% Syrah: 17% Grenache: 16% Merlot: 13% Cab Sauv: 7% Cinsault: 4%
Carignan
Late budding (frost) and late ripening so needs a warm climate with a long growing season
Can produce high yields (200 hl/ha) or more; so it was popular in the past
Yields must be drastically reduced for concentration, naturally in old vines of 50 yrs or more
Prone to powdery mildew and grape moths
Not suited to mechanical harvesting as grapes are firmly attached
Significant reduction in plantings and being replaced with higher quality
High in acid and tannin so either blended with others or carbonic
Typically unoaked, med ruby with simple blackberry fruit, high acid and tannin.
Most acceptable to good and inexpensive
Some better
Vineyard Management
Historically bush vines with some remaining. well suited to the climate providing shade for berries
Recently more trellises to aid mechanization (reduction in labor hastened)
IGP wines are mechanical harvest and AOC where topography allows
Winemaking
Two approaches for Red:
Carbonic: for fruity wines with med to deep color and low tannin; particularly with Carignan. Mid range temps to preserve flavors, stored for a few mo in concrete or stainless, early drinking. Few made higher quality and ageing potential from Carignan and Syrah (Ch. La Voulte Gasparets.
Most made by crushing and fermenting on skins for 5-7 days to limit tannin extraction. Mid range to preserve fruit, few months in stainless or concrete. Early drinking but will hold 2 - 3 years
High quality more sorting tables, fermentation at warm temps, ambient yeasts and barriques for maturation.
IGP Wines
70% of the production of Languedoc
Max yield of 90 hl/ha for white and red and 100 for rose
58 varieties allowed
Inexpensive and attractive; those labeled with variety have been at the root of the region’s success
Three forms of IGP in France
Regional: IGP Pays d’Oc for the whole Languedoc
Departmental: IGP Gard
Smaller named after a historical or geographical feature IGP Cotes de Thongue
IGP Pays d’Oc is largest producer of IGP wine in FR (10% - 15%).
Fresh fruity varietal expressions with little to no oak. good to very good and inexpensive to mid.
Merlot 21%; Cab Sauv 14%; Chard 12%; Syrah 11%; Grenache 8%; Sauv Blanc 7%; Cinsault 6%; All Other 21%: Pinot, Viognier, Marselan, Cab Franc, Grenache Blanc, Muscat, Carignan, Colombard, Vermentino, Malbec
AOC’s
Corbieres Minervois Minervois La Liviniere Saint Chinian Faugeres Terasses du Larzac Pic Saint Loup Picpoul de Pinet La Clape Fitou Malepere Cabardes
AOC Legislation
Each has principal and other allowed
In all cases Languedoc AOC’s for red wine require a minimum of two varieties including one or more of the principals. Most have an upper limit for any one grape so all are blends.
With the exception of Cabardes and Malepere all Languedoc AOC’s require the use of Grenache and most require Syrah and Mourvedre. These three are typically the principals
The rules may differ between what is allowed in the vineyard and final blend
Max yields are typically between 45 and 50hl/ha
Languedoc AOC
GSM are principals
Min of two with at least one principal
No one can be more than 80%
Total combo of principals must be min 40%
Others (Cinsault, Carignan, others) cannot be more than 30%
Max yields of 60hl/ha for white and 50hl/ha for red
Languedoc Appellations Style, Quality, Price
Regional: medium aromas of simple blackberry and red plum, med tannin, acid, alcohol, body. Acceptable to good, inexpensive to mid
Named Appellations: med to med+ intensity blackberry, red plum, herbal (lavendar, rosemary), medium tannin, med to med + acid, med tannin, med to high alcoho, medium + to full body. Minority have oak influence. good to very good with some outstanding, inexpensive to premium
Sub-appellations: med + to pronounced, med + tannins. good with some outstanding, mostly mid with some premium
Corbieres
10,000 ha (4th largest in FR); 90% red
Two mountain ranges (Tauch and D’Alaric) provide sites on slopes up to 450m
Cooling influence of altitude and cold northern winds help to retain acidity
40% must be of the principals (GSM + Carignan); remainder form others, max 20% Cinsault.
50hl/ha for white, red, rose
Sub appellation of Corbieres Boutenac requires GSM + Carignan to be 70%
70% in FR, 30% export: China, Germany, Belgium
Minervois
Range of climatic zones based on altitude and proximity to the Mediterranean Sea
Red is majority with rose and white
GSM + Carignan and Cinsault must be 50% with no one exceeding 80%
Minervois la Liviniere is for red only. On a limestone terrace of gentle slopes up to 400m. Good drainage and sun exposure with cooling altitude. Higher acid than lower parts in Minervois AOC. GSM 40% plus Carignan and Cinsault 80%
Saint Chinian
Large appellation between Minervois and Faugeres
Mainly red and rose from GSM blends (min 50%)
Two areas:
Northern Zone; fast draining schist soils, low yields and high concentration. Two subzones within Saint Chinian Roquebrun, Saint Chinian Berlou
Southern area: clay and limestone with greater water holding capacity, producing higher yields of less concentrated wine
Fitou
Made of two areas with a part of Corbieres between them
First AOC in the Languedoc formed in 1948
The coastal area is flat low lying plains with clay and limestone with good water retention. these are less concentrated than further inland
Inland is mor mountainous with less fertile fast draining schistous soils for higher concentration.
Carignan (10% - 40%) and Grenache (min 20%)
Largest is Mont Tach coop for half of production
Faugeres
250 - 400m altitude well drained low fertility schistous soils very good concentration avg yields of 33 hl/ha 40% organic (much higher than FR avg) Must be aged one year before release 90% sold in FR
