I recently acquainted myself with Domaine de Cigalus located within the Languedoc Corbières area in southern France. This is where Gérard Bertrand built a biodynamic wine empire and owns several wineries. He is a proponent of the Languedoc region and lives there at the Domaine where biodynamic agriculture started for him in 2002. Although this 6’5” man makes both red… Read more »
The northern part of the Languedoc-Roussillon in Corbiéres is where you will find wine producer Château La Baronne respecting the eb and flow of…
Picpoul screams spring into summer when it comes to white wines. Something for a spontaneous Saturday picnic? Or a wine that seriously pairs with seafood whether grilled, baked or raw- absolutely! The great thing about Picpoul is the reasonable price tag: it hovers around $10 to $15.
March 12, 2018 – Didier Barral, the proprietor of Domaine Leon Barral is a revolutionary man producing biodynamic wines in the Faugères AOP. This hilly area is known as Grand Terroir de Schist where Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Mourvèdre and Cinsault are primary red grapes. I looked to this region for a wine to elevate my lazy Sunday evening.
Two appellations lie within the Languedoc-Roussillon: the Corbiéres and Minervois AOPs (Appellation d’Origine Protégée). Both are focused on red wines made from Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault, and Lladoner Pelut in differing proportions. They deliver a small amount of noteworthy whites made primarily from Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Vermentino (Rolle), and Maccabeu (Viura). Several other grapes grow there too. Read on to learn about defining characteristics of these areas.
Although some wineries have difficulties, and challenges exist in the south of France due to competition with Spanish bulk wine, Languedoc-Roussillon area vintners are producing wines well worth the search at amazing prices.
California made people think rosé is sweet…and lesser quality. But it’s made all over the world. And, Provence (France) is credited for putting it on the map. Rosé is for serious wine lovers, yes, but really anyone interested in wine. Perhaps it were the marketers that ruined its image? Cheap and affordable? Rosé is just the opposite. It can be… Read more »
This is a continuation of our holiday Carcassonne adventure focusing on wine. After hiking and exploring, we were off to learn more about the wines of the Languedoc-Roussillion. Since we didn’t have a car, and we were smack in the middle of the holidays, visiting wineries was a bit harder. Research uncovered Vins et Vinos, a small wine shop in… Read more »
Carcassonne was a planned stop on our way home from Ille sur Tête. How could one not stop in such a town, so much history and wine?!? To set the stage, Carcassonne draws about 3 million visitors annually. People primarily come to see the Cité de Carcassonne, a medieval fortress that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s basically a… Read more »