Until a couple of decades ago, Languedoc was known more for quantity than quality. The vast area in the south of France — often combined with neighboring Roussillon to the west as Languedoc-Roussillon — is not only the country’s largest wine region, but the biggest in the world with about 700,000 acres under vine. Within Languedoc-Roussillon there are dozens of appellations as well as broader IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) wines and others simply labeled Vin de France.
Today, in the sea of Languedoc wines, it’s much easier to find bottles of distinction, many of them excellent values. Though all forms of wine are produced in Languedoc — white, red, rosé, sweet, and sparkling — it’s the reds that really stand out. The best ones can be bold or delicate, fruit-forward or more restrained, but almost always display minerality or hints of “garrigue,” as the wild herbs that cover much of the region are known.
There’s another thing that sets Languedoc apart: With its hot, dry Mediterranean climate, which makes the vines less prone to disease, organic farming has always been less challenging here. It’s more the rule than the exception and was practiced by many winemakers long before other regions embraced it in their production — and marketing. Many Languedoc winemakers never even bothered to put “organic” on their labels; it was just how they worked.
As far as the grape varieties are concerned, it’s not complicated. For the most part they’re the familiar, so-called Rhône varieties, especially Syrah, Grenache,
