The South of France

Okay, so when I said south I did not mean Miami, Naples or Key West. I meant the south of France, to an area of increasing quality, production and importance in the wine world: Languedoc-Roussillon.

This is an area that borders the Mediterranean Sea and curves in an arc from the Spanish border north and east all the way to just south of Nimes. The area extends inland quite a few kilometers and has a terrain that varies from hot low lands to slopes at elevations that provide cool temperatures for the vines.

For those of you familiar with French wine regulations, bear with me. The region is a large area and historically noted for producing Vins de Table or Vins de Pays, the French equivalents of American jug wines.

Wines are not highly regulated as in other AOC (Appelation d’Origine Contrôlée) areas, such as Bordeaux and Burgundy. Quite the contrary, growers are generally free to plant a variety of vines of their own choosing. The region also produces a variety of wine styles—about 85 percent is red and the rest consists of whites, dry rosés and sparkling and sweet wines.

It is an old wine producing area. Evidence suggests that Phoenicians planted some vines long before the Romans arrived. Certainly, there is a strong possibility of Gallic and Greek plantings pre-dating the Romans by hundreds of years. In fact, during Roman times, the area produced so much wine, it was actually exported to Rome.

In more modern times, the Middle Ages saw the University at Montpelier heavily involved in viticulture and, later on, the Dutch merchant trade found a lucrative enterprise creating export markets in Holland and Northern Europe for the sweet wines and brandies of this area.

The climate is generally Mediterranean with hot dry summers, great for ripening red wine grapes; but also bordering on drought conditions. Further west in the region, there is ome elevation and some infl uence from the Atlantic Ocean.

The area was always noted for bulk wines of mediocre quality. However, recent efforts by the government to have more and better quality grapes planted are paying off. While some regions are AOC where the grape is specified, most areas are not. Look for Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon among the reds. Sauvignon Blanc can do well as can an up-and-coming player, Viognier. The reds tend towards deep, rich colors and intense fruit. The best have a sense of minerality and are not shy around full-flavored foods.

Some of the AOC areas you will see listed by region without, generally, a reference to particular grape variety are Corbieres, Coteaux de Languedoc, Cotes de Roussillon, Fitou, Minervois, Saint Chinian and Costierees de Nimes.

The Languedoc is ancient, has a fascinating history, its own language (Occitan) and is producing some of the most exciting wines in France. It is a region in some ways looking to break from its past of mediocre wines to producing quality wines at affordable prices.

Look for them. You will not be disappointed.

Harry Haff, AKA Wine With a Chef, teaches Wines and Beverages at Le Cordon Bleu Atlanta. He is a two-time Certified Chef and holds an Advanced Certifi cate from the WSET in London.