The Wines of Languedoc-Roussillon, France

© P. Palau

With more than 700,000 acres under cultivation, the Languedoc-Roussillon produces as much wine — if not more — than the state of California. The Greeks first planted grapes here in the fifth century B.C., and for centuries, the wines of Languedoc-Roussillon were highly regarded. This changed drastically and grievously in the 19th century, however, with bulk production techniques inflicted by the Industrial Revolution. A century later, the winemakers in the Languedoc-Roussillon began paying more attention to quality over quantity. The result has been a crop of new vintners who are creating wines that are complex, pleasing and relatively well-priced. The region boasts a startling variety of grapes. There are, of course, the inevitable Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as the better-known Rhône varietals such as Mourvèdre, Syrah, Grenache and Viognier. These wines are generally considered to be good values, and more than ever are being well-received by the American market.

Here are some of our favorite winemakers of the Languedoc-Roussillon:

Château La Roque is located in the Pic Saint-Loup area, fairly close to Montpellier. About 80 acres are planted with red varietals such as Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre, and the whites include Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Marsanne. We particularly like the reds — especially the dark, rich Cuvée de Mourvèdre.

Château Saint Martin de la Garrigue is an historic property in a parklike setting and dates to the time of the Romans. It makes a wide variety of red and white wines, but we especially like the cuvée red blends such as the Bronzinelle, Tradition and Reserve.

Château de Lastours is a fine old property that dates to the 12th century. After having fallen on some hard times, it was given new life in 2004 and is now once again making some wonderful wines. We had a chance to try the 2006 Réserve, which is a robust blend of Carignan, Syrah and Grenache, much of which comes from vines as old as 40 years.

Le Clos des Fées is another “new” property — the current owner began working on it in 1997. It is a remarkably picturesque place. It makes a limited number of bottlings, of which we liked the Sorcières blend, a rich mix of Grenache and Carignan, from vines between 40 and 80 years old, and Syrah.