Languedoc-Roussillon explained. From bulk wine to the south of France's renaissance.

Two neighbors, one long history

The Languedoc and Roussillon run along the Mediterranean from Provence to the Spanish border. Winegrowing here goes back more than 2,000 years, introduced by the Romans. When the railways arrived, the fertile Languedoc became an outdoor factory for light red wine shipped north, and by the 1980s it produced 10% of the world's wine. Only from the late 1980s did growers start to prioritize quality.

The two areas look very different. The Languedoc has beaches but also rugged inland hills with dramatic Cathar castles. Roussillon, with strong Catalan roots, only became French in the mid-17th century, and its mountains rise straight from the sea in a great amphitheater. It is also France's hottest and driest region.

Languedoc reds and whites

Most wines are reds blended from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsault, in proportions set by each appellation. Minervois, on the slopes of the Montagne Noire, gives full, fruity reds, and its sub-appellation La Livinière on a limestone plateau adds freshness and elegance. Corbières, stretching from near Narbonne toward the Pyrenees, uses Carignan as a backbone for spicy, structured reds and is split into eleven terroirs. Look out for wines from very old Carignan vines, which give concentrated, long wines.

Whites are a small share, made from local grapes such as Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc, Rolle, Macabeu and Clairette, as well as international varieties. White La Clape must contain at least 40% Bourboulenc and has a marine scent. Picpoul de Pinet, overlooking the oyster beds of the Bassin de Thau, makes lemony wines with bright acidity. Limoux is believed to be where the traditional method of sparkling wine was first discovered.

Roussillon and the IGP revolution

Roussillon grows the same grapes on diverse soils of clay, limestone and schist, on slopes up to 650 meters. Over 300 days of sunshine, autumn rains and constant winds make organic farming easier. The region is famous for sweet vins doux naturels such as Banyuls, Maury and Rivesaltes, but dry wines are now catching up. Côtes du Roussillon reds must blend at least three permitted grapes, and Côtes du Roussillon Villages, including Tautavel, gives more powerful wines from lower yields.

Because appellation rules on grape varieties can be restrictive, many ambitious producers label their wines IGP, which allows a wider choice of grapes and more creativity. In the upper Agly valley, black schist soils now produce fine, mineral whites under IGP Côtes Catalanes.

The experiment: common wine faults

With the help of Billy the dog, Marc and Christy explain how to recognize three common faults. Cork taint, caused by TCA, smells of wet cardboard or wet dog and cannot be fixed. Reductive sulfur compounds range from struck match to rotten egg, and milder cases can often be helped by aeration or decanting. Brettanomyces, a wild yeast, smells of band-aid or farmyard; some tasters even like a touch of it. Find out which faults you can rescue at home.

Food pairings and blind tastings

An old vine Carignan opens the tasting, and a Domaine de Montredon Picpoul de Pinet is matched with bourride, a creamy southern French fish soup, illustrating why salty dishes love high acidity. Later, spiced lamb kebabs with a garlic and mint yogurt sauce show how a single dish can work with both a red and a white.

Each host also tastes a wine blind and works through color, aroma and palate to a grape and an appellation. It is useful practice that helps you prepare for WSET Level 3.