The 2022 and 2023 vintages were scorchers across the Languedoc, a wine region that encompasses a large area of southern France.
Despite this, the winemakers managed to make really delicious, drinkable wines. Their freshness and pure fruit flavours will take you right to the shores of the south of France.
I tasted through 700 of them over the course of the past year and discovered five key things to bear in mind.
Which 10 Languedoc wines under £20 should you buy? Scroll down to find out…
Five top tips
1: Delicate whites
If you’re after a white, look for St-Chinian on the label (where the grapes are grown) – and from the 2023 vintage. The wines are so delicate – almost lacy – with beautiful floral scents and flavours.
2: High-quality reds
For those wanting a red, seek out wines from the 2022 vintage and from the growing areas of either Pic St-Loup or Terrasses du Larzac.
The wines won’t give you much change from £20, but when compared to similar quality reds from elsewhere in France, they’re great value.
3: Rosé to rival Provence
If you’re a fan of pale pink Provence rosé you’ll find plenty of wines to like from the Languedoc, often made from a similar blend of grape varieties but a fraction of the price of their Provençal cousins.
Many of the wineries listed below make delightful examples, such as Château Coupe-Roses’ Frémillant Rosé and Château d’Anglès’ Classique Rosé.
4: An old favourite
The nation’s favourite pub wine, Picpoul de Pinet, comes from the Languedoc! But it has much more to offer than just the crisp, lip-smacking, zesty young white we know and love.
Instead of buying the most recent vintage you can find, try one with a little more bottle age or some lees ageing (it might say ‘sur lie’ on the label) to experience a richer, more exotic style.
5 (and this is the important one): Fair for all
While we need to stop stereotyping the Languedoc as a region for cheap quaffers, the concept of ‘value’ really does mean something here – unlike in Burgundy, for example. This doesn’t mean a €2 or €3 from a supermarket by the beach on holiday.
It means that if you choose wisely, you can experience stunningly delicious wines without feeling like you’ve splurged. (Still enjoy them at the beach, though!)
It also means that the vignerons are getting a fair price for their wine to cover their costs, pay their staff and make a living.
What’s remarkable is that I haven’t had to trundle through the lowest-scoring wines of the 700 I tasted to find the best-value ones. In fact, many of the top scorers from my report retail for under £25.
But as there are so many excellent Languedoc wines available to buy for under £20, I’ve done the hard work for you and picked out 10 of my favourites below.
