Languedoc report 2023: Latest releases tasted

Languedoc 2022 vintage rating: 4.5 / 5

Languedoc 2021 vintage rating: 3.5 / 5

Even after tasting over 900 wines and spending many hours visiting the region, it is still somewhat difficult to draw solid conclusions about the latest vintages in Languedoc. This is due to a number of reasons.

Firstly, depending on each appellation’s regulations and the length of ageing a producer decides on, there’s no single vintage to assess without excluding a good chunk of wines. This, coupled with the fact that I wanted to showcase wines that were already bottled and available right now, means that the wines recommended range across a number of vintages, but are for the most part from 2022, 2021 and some from 2020.

Secondly, despite speaking directly to producers, visiting vineyards, and tasting the wines, it’s difficult to know exactly how a vintage played out unless you were on the ground during the growing season and saw the health and quality of the fruit as it was harvested. While press releases often paint a shiny picture, and producers often fall on the ‘despite the challenges the fruit quality is excellent’ line, the reality isn’t always so rosy.

Thirdly, recent vintages in Languedoc have seen incredibly varied weather conditions, not only from appellation to appellation, but as granular as village to village.

See the Languedoc report 2023 homepage

Individual appellation analysis:

Limoux | Corbières & Minervois | La Clape | St-Chinian | Faugères | Picpoul de Pinet | Terrasses du Larzac | Pic St Loup

Vintages currently on the market by appellation:

Limoux: 2022 & 2021

Corbières: 2022 & 2021

Minervois: 2021 & 2020

La Clape: 2022 & 2021

St Chinian: 2021 & 2020

Faugères: 2021 & 2020

Picpoul de Pinet: 2022 & 2021

Terrasses du Larzac: 2021 & 2020

Pic St Loup: 2021 & 2020

See the Languedoc latest releases score tables:

All top-scoring wines

All top-scoring white wines

All top-scoring red wines

This report covers a selection of key Languedoc appellations, and where relevant IGP and Vin de France wines have been included, but not tasted as widely.

Vintage conditions

If forced to generalise, 2022 was a hot, dry vintage in Languedoc, while 2021 was marked by ferocious April frosts and a cooler season, and yields were very small across most of the region.

The reality is more complex – Limoux, for example, escaped much of the 2021 frost damage, although still experienced an overall cooler vintage.

For those that still have it on the market, 2020 was another hot and dry year, and is widely regarded as one of the best in recent times across many appellations.

Top-scoring wines by appellation:

Limoux:

Sparkling

Antech, Cuvée Eugenie Brut, Crémant de Limoux 2020 – 92 points

Domaine de Mousacaillo, Brut Nature, Crémant de Limoux 2020 – 92 points

White

Les Hautes Terres, Louis, Limoux 2022 – 93 points

Château de Gaure, Limoux 2021 – 93 points

Red

Domaine de Baronarques, Grand Vin Rouge, Limoux 2021 – 90 points

Corbières & Minervois:

White

Maxime Magnon, La Bégou, Corbières 2022 – 95 points

Domaine Pierre Bories, Le Blanc, Corbières 2021 – 93 points

Château La Baronne, Les Chemins, Corbières 2022 – 93 points

Château Ollieux Romanis, Prestige Blanc, Corbières 2021 – 93 points

Red

Château Ollieux Romanis, Atal Sia, Corbières Boutenac 2021 – 94 points

Domaine la Bouysse, Terrassaé, Corbières 2022 – 93 points

Château Sainte-Eulalie, Bellezour Anima Minervois, La Livinière 2021 – 93 points

Domaine Combe Blanche, La Chandelière, Minervois La Livinière 2020 – 93 points

La Clape

White

Château Pech Redon, Epervier Blanc, La Clape 2022 – 93 points

Château Rouquette sur Mer, Cuvée Arpege, La Clape 2022 – 92 points

Red

Sarrat de Goundy, La Combe aux Louves, La Clape 2021 – 92 points

Château L’Hospitalet, Grand Vin, La Clape 2021 – 91 points

Château Pech Redon, Epervier, La Clape 2020 – 91 points

Sarrat de Goundy, La Planteur, La Clape 2021 – 91 points

St Chinian

White

Domaine des Pradels-Quartironi, Le Moineau des Glycines, St-Chinian 2020 – 94 points

Red

Thierry Navarre, Ribeyrenc, St-Chinian 2021 – 94 points

Thierry Navarre, Le Laouzil, St-Chinian 2021 – 94 points

Terres Falmet, L’Ivresse des Cimes, St-Chinian 2021 – 94 points

Faugères

White

Domaine Ollier-Taillefer, Allegro, Faugères 2022 – 93 points

Red

Domaine de Cébène, Belle Lurette, Faugères 2021 – 95 points

Domaine Binet-Jacquet, Réserve, Faugères 2020 – 95 points

Picpoul de Pinet

White

Château Petit Roubié, L’O Sur Lie Patience, Picpoul de Pinet 2022 – 94 points

Les Vignerons de Florensac, Florès Le Picpoul de Pinet Patience, Picpoul de Pinet 2019 – 94 points

Terrasses du Larzac

Red

Mas d’Agamas, Baies Choisies, Terrasses du Larzac 2020 – 95 points

Mas Cal Demoura, Les Combariolles, Terrasses du Larzac, 2021 – 95 points

La Jasse Castel, Bleu Velours, Terrasses du Larzac 2021 – 94 points

Domaine du Pas de l’Escalette, Le Grand Pas, Terrasses du Larzac 2021 – 94 points

Pic St Loup

Red

Clos des Reboussiers, Pic St-Loup 2020 – 94 points

Domaine de l’Hortus, Le Dit de l’Hortus l’Ombrée, Pic St-Loup 2020 – 94 points

Le Chemin des Rêves, La Soie, Pic St-Loup 2021 – 94 points

Mas Bruguière, La Grenadière, Pic St-Loup 2021 – 94 points

Producers to look out for by appellation

Limoux

Clos Teisseire, Domaine de Mouscaillo, Domaine du Grès Vaillant, Domaine J Laurens, Les Hautes Terres

Corbières & Minervois

Château Beauregard Mirouze, Château Maris, Domaine Ledogar, Domaine la Bouysse, Maxime Magnon

La Clape

Château Les Bugadelles, Château Pech Redon, Château Rouquette sur Mer, Combes des Ducs, Sarrat de Goundy

St Chinian

Domaine de Pech Ménel, Domaine des Pradels-Quartironi, Domaine La Linquière, Terres Falmet, Thierry Navarre

Faugères

Domaine Binet-Jacquet, Domaine de Cébène, Domaine Ollier-Taillefer, Mas Gabinèle, Mas Lou

Picpoul de Pinet

Château Petit Roubié, Domaine Félines-Jourdan, Font-Mars, Les Vignerons de Florensac

Terrasses du Larzac

Domaine du Pas de l’Escalette, Le Clos du Serres, Les Vignes Oubliées, Mas Conscience, Mas d’Agamas

Pic St Loup

Domaine de L’Hortus, Domaine de Villeneuve, Le Chemin des Rêves, Mas Bruguière

See the Languedoc report 2023 homepage

See also – individual appellation analysis:

Limoux | Corbières & Minervois | La Clape | St Chinian | Faugères | Picpoul de Pinet | Terrasses du Larzac | Pic St Loup

Languedoc top-scoring wines:

The majority of the wines for this report were tasted blind. Below they are listed in score order.

Related articles

• Burgundy 2022: What to expect
• New Chianti Classico releases 2023: Top recommendations & best-value picks