Reds of the Languedoc-Roussillon
6-Bottle Sampler
by Anthony Lynch
France’s largest and most prolific wine-growing region, the Languedoc-Roussillon is far too often lumped into a single category—as if “Languedoc blends,” amounting to roughly one quarter of France’s total output, could be boiled down to a single style. The reds alone, which primarily feature Grenache, Carignan, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault across dozens of appellations, highlight so many distinct terroirs that it’s about time we delve deeper into this chronically overlooked part of France.
To clarify, the Languedoc, which forms a crescent along the Mediterranean roughly from Montpellier to Perpignan, and the Roussillon, the Catalan province sitting just north of the Spanish border where the Pyrenees meet the sea, are two separate regions. Together, they are home to an abundance of everyday bargains, as well as distinguished terroir-driven wines from world-class vignerons.
Stereotyping these “Languedoc blends” would be failing to recognize the chalky vineyards of Saint-Chinian, captured so purely and vividly in the Cebenna bottling from Les Eminades. It would be forgetting the rich Catalan heritage thriving on the steep terrasses of Collioure, expressed generously in La Tour Vieille’s spicy Pinède. It would be discounting the influence of pioneers like Didier Barral in Faugères and Maxime Magnon in the Corbières, who have inspired countless others with their visionary approach to farming and winemaking. As you’ll see, these outstanding domaines beautifully capture the immense character and endless diversity of the Languedoc-Roussillon’s sun-soaked, windswept vineyard patchwork