Southern France Flashcards
Southern France Modernization
Stainless tanks
Temperature control
Winery hygiene
Oxygen management
Use of new and used oak
Some semi-carbonic for softening tannins in Carignan
Southern France Red Grapes
Grenache performs well in the heat
Syrah does well in the cooler sites
Carignan - high tannin, acid, and color but lacks fruit and finesse. Old vines on poor soil can be good. High yield workhorse.
Cinsault - mostly Roses, or adds red fruit to blends
Mourvedre - powerful wines in hot sites
Merlot and Cab Sauv – for producing IGP wines
Languedoc AC
Generic AC covers Spanish border to Nimes
The best regions can put names Languedoc AC
Many sub-apps, many with their own regulations – evolving
Most of the wine is red based on Carignan, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre. Some white / rose.
Languedoc: Cotes du Roussillon
Rugged and mountainous, bright sun, strong wind, low rainfall = concentrated wines
Cotes du Roussillon Villages – best vineyards to the North
Southern France Climate
Warm Mediterranean climate, summers > 30C, mild winters and low rainfall, drought with some summer floods
Cool inland regions w/ altitude = higher quality
Hot regions = high volume inexpensive wine
MISTRAL – blows through the Rhone valley
TRAMONTANE - gap between the Massif Central and Pyrenees
Languedoc: Minervois
Along the slopes of the Massif Central
Highly variable aspect, soil, altitude, cooling from the Atlantic and Tramontane
Highly divided, including La Liviniere (its own AC)
Languedoc: Fitou
Warm coastal sites w fuller-bodied wines
Cooler inland area at altitude with lighter wines
Southern France White Grapes
Whites previously non-traditional for the region now dominate – for IGP wines
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier
Muscat – sweet fortified wines and a few dry aromatic wines
Grenache Blanc – dry, peachy fruit, full body and low acidity – for blends
Picpoul – refreshing high acidity, green fruit, citrus flavors
Languedoc: Limoux
Benefits from cooling by altitude
Premium oaked Chardonnays
Provence
Varied landscape broken up by ranges and hills give protection from ‘Mistral’ winds
Roses: pale in color, light bodied, dry, with delicate grapefruit and red fruit
Best whites often feature aromatics of Rolle or Clairette
Cotes de Provence
Mostly roses
3 coastal regions with their own ACs
Bandol is the most important, reds from Mourvedre from south facing terraced slopes
Dark, full-bodied, powerful tannin, require age to show bramble, meat, licorice
Languedoc: Picpoul de Pinet
Near the coast with cooling breezes to preserve acidity
Known for Picpoul grape and wines
Languedoc: Corbieres
Similar to Fitou, highly variable with warm lowlands and cool highlands that are heavily affected by Tramontane winds
11 sub-regions, including Boutenac (its own AC)
IGP Wines
Source of a lot of IGP wines, sold under ‘Pays d’Oc’
Covers all under Languedoc – Roussillon
Permits regions, varietals, and processing outside of traditional boundaries to make excellent value wines
