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Top 30 Languedoc white wines for summer

By Rosemary George MW

published 6 July 2018

in Features

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France’s far south is better known for reds but there is a wide range of exciting white wine styles thanks to the region's abundance of traditional grape varieties and winemakers' skill in creating interesting blends. Time to start exploring, says Rosemary George MW...

Traditionally the Languedoc is a region of red wines. With the exception of Clairette du Languedoc, all the region’s early appellations concentrated on red and tended to ignore white wine.

St-Chinian and Faugères were appellations for red wine in 1982, whereas their white counterparts were not created until 2005.

In the extensive Coteaux du Languedoc, Picpoul de Pinet was recognised as a small pocket of white wine, and indeed became an appellation in its own right in 2005. La Clape, another coastal region, has also developed a distinctive identity, depending on the maritime influence as well as its own grape variety, Bourboulenc.

Scroll down to see George’s top 30 Languedoc whites to try

In surprising contrast, the two most recently created appellations, Pic St-Loup and Terrasses du Larzac, are for red only, despite the fact that those vineyards are among the coolest and highest of the whole region.

Any white wine from those areas will either be IGP (indication géographique protégée) or plain AP Languedoc.

But all that may well be about to change, as appreciation of the white wines of Languedoc grows. As Béatrice Fillon from Le Clos du Serres in the Terrasses du Larzac observes: ‘There is a whole history to build for white wine. It will take time, with new areas to discover and develop, and a growing choice of grape varieties.’

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Limoux is the other appellation where white wine came first, after sparkling, in 1993, focusing on the traditional Mauzac, as well as Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc; the appellation is unusual in demanding an élevage in oak.

Elsewhere, the international varieties Chardonnay and Sauvignon feature in IGP Pays d’Oc, but do not contribute to the originality of the Languedoc.

That comes from the reassessment of some of the original grape varieties of the region, such as Carignan Blanc, Clairette, Grenaches Blanc and Gris, and Terret, to name but a handful, which were ignored but are now being appreciated anew.

Blends rather than varietal wines are the true focus of the Languedoc, providing original and eclectic flavours.

Marsanne, Roussanne and Vermentino contribute to those, accompanied by a growing list of possibilities.

You may find Gros Manseng, Petite Arvine and even the most recently recognised variety of the Pays d’Oc, Albariño, pioneered by Laurent Miquel in the high hills above the Corbières village of Lagrasse.

What follows is a snapshot of the wonderful diversity and originality of the Languedoc, available on the British wine market this summer, based on an extensive tasting at the Maison de la Région Occitanie in London.

Some of the big names are missing; they are currently not on the market or their wines simply were not submitted for tasting.

Rosemary George MW is a widely published wine writer, author and judge. Her latest book is Wines of the Languedoc, published in April 2018 (£30 Infinite Ideas).

See George’s pick of the best 30 Languedoc whites to try

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Scroll down to see George’s top 30 Languedoc whites to try

See George’s pick of the best 30 Languedoc whites to try

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Château Martinolles, Vieilles Vignes Chardonnay, Limoux, 2016

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