The Languedoc-Roussillon vineyard is in the south of France. It covers much of the Languedoc-Roussillon region, which consists of the departments of Aude, Gard, Hérault and Pyrénées-Orientales. A wide variety of wines are produced here: red, rosé and white wines, sparkling or still as well as sweet wines. It was the Greeks of Asia Minor who commercially developed viticulture in this region. Contrary to the beliefs that wild vines were already growing in the region more and more evidence is being uncovered that the vines were actually brought here by the Greeks. Later on the Romans cultivated and expanded the vineyards which kept growing until the 17th century. When a cure was found to overcome phylloxera, which was devastating French vineyards around 1863, the cultivated area of Languedoc strongly increased and became one of the largest vineyards in France. Thus, around 1960, Languedoc was producing a large quantity of wine and supplied the entire country. For many years, the region suffered from a bad image in which volume was favoured at the expense of quality.
Finally, in the 1970s, when consumers were looking for better quality, some Languedoc producers began to reshape the vineyard landscape. This led to the uprooting of vinyards in order to replant them with noble grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Grenache Noir and many others. At the same time, research was done on the soils, the vines training, the control of yields as well as winemaking style to increase the qualitative level of wines. Today, winemakers in Languedoc reap the benefits of these efforts. Many of the wines produced in the region figure on the wine lists of prestigious restaurants around the globe. The vineyards of Languedoc are planted on a wide variety of soils, but most have the common characteristic of being very stony and often located on steep slopes. They are poor soils through which the vines must plant its roots very deeply to get the water it needs to survive. We often see the presence of red shades on the soils, due to ferric oxides. The vineyards of Languedoc are near the sea and enjoy a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot, dry summers. The climate is an important factor that allows quality viticulture and the production of great wines. The prevailing wind, the Tramontana, is omnipresent. It promotes drying the vines and therefore prevents diseases.
Nouvelle cuvée de rouge, Mar i Muntanya, à l'image de sa joyeuse étiquette; sans prétention, savoureux, très engageant, et à prix très doux. Revue des Vins de France 15/20