More about wine

For the last few years, the European Union has been attempting to encourage the planting of other crops such as soft fruit and sunflowers on the land least suited to vines, and the replacement of traditional grape varieties with lower yielding varieties producing smaller quantities of better wine. Economic pressures tend this way as well, as consumers in France and elsewhere demand higher quality; and cheap good quality wine from less traditional producers (particularly in Eastern Europe) is providing increasingly strong competition. But given the time needed to establish new vines and make them productive, it is a slow process. Fitou became the first AOC in Languedoc-Roussillon in 1948; Corbières became a VDQS in 1951 and did not achieve the coveted rank of AOC until 1985.

The drive to improve and differentiate Corbières wine continues. The producers’ association, the Cru Corbières, designated 11 separate terroirs within the area in 1991, in order to emphasise the range of geology, soil types and microclimates which make wines produced in different parts of the region so distinctively different from each other, in an area which ranges from the salty sea coast near Sigean, to the aridity and winds of the high Corbières. In 2005 the Boutenac terroir gained its own AOC, Corbières-Boutenac, and this will probably be followed by others.

Wine vats

This is one of the smaller wineries but it produces 2 million bottles a year nevertheless

Corbières is the largest appellation in the Midi — there are 40,000 ha of vineyards of which 22,000 are classed as AOC. It is worth mentioning here that if a wine is classed as Vin de Pays (VdP) rather than AOC, this does not necessarily mean it is of inferior quality — particularly if it is white. The strict AOC regulations specify exactly which grapes may be used, in what proportions; some more adventurous winegrowers wish to experiment with non-traditional varieties and hence cannot claim AOC status. Some of these VdPs compete in price and quality with the AOC wines. There are some superb Chardonnays being produced, and M. Boyer of Homps deserves special mention for having boldly replanted his vineyards twenty years ago with the extremely untraditional and temperamental white grape Viognier. This variety’s only claim to fame hitherto was as the main grape used in Condrieu, in the Rhone valley. A number of other winemakers have since taken it up. This wine is rich and complex, redolent of the scent of ripe apricots; seek it out, and you will not be disappointed.

Languedoc is also attracting foreign winemakers in increasing numbers. They make wine primarily for export — Australians as ever, but also some well-known British names such as Hugh Ryman and James Herrick. Another name to look out for abroad is Fortant de France, a large négociant which produces varietal VdP wines such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah. Less obvious on the shelves but well worth seeking out are those individual domaines which manage to produce enough high quality wine at the right price to interest foreign supermarkets and wine merchants. In general you are more likely to find Vins de Pays de Languedoc abroad than Corbières AOC wine as even now only 24% of it is exported, mainly to Belgium, Britain, Germany, and the Netherlands.

The diversity of the wines and the climate of constant change mean that even as you become familiar with the area there is always something new to discover — here someone may be trying a different blend or a new method of vinification, there someone may be planting a new grape variety or refrigerating the winery in order to produce a distinctive white wine. And with most wines costing between 3 euros and 7 euros a bottle, experimenting is cheap.