Languedoc-Roussillon wine
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged into Languedoc-Roussillon. (Discuss) Proposed since February 2007. |
Languedoc wine (often labeled "Vin de Pays d'Oc") is produced in the south-west of France. While "Languedoc" can refer to a specific historic region of France and Northern Catalonia, usage since the 20th century (especially in the context of wine) has primarily been to indicate the northern part of the Languedoc-Roussillon région of France, an area that borders Spain and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.
History
The majority of wines from this area lack the prestige of other regions in France like the Rhône or Bordeaux. On the other hand, the region's climate is very conducive to growing a large amount of a wide variety of grapes, and vintners in the area excel in the mass production and, at one time, the distribution of large quantites of wine. Languedoc-Roussillon wines constitute over one third of all wine produced in France and one tenth of the wine produced in the world (Joseph 2005:190). At the end of the 20th century, the region's sales dropped, and the Languedoc has since been seen as a major contributor to the economically devastating surplus known as the "wine lake".
Despite this general reputation as a mass producer and a consensus that the region is in the midst of an economic crisis, parts of the Languedoc wine industry are experiencing commercial success due to outside investment and an increased focus on quality. Sales have been improved by many vineyards that concentrate on creating a good brand name rather than relying on the sometimes infamous regional designations. Some vineyards have adopted the youngest batch of AOC classifications developed in the late 1990s while other vineyards eschew designated blends entirely and are instead shifting toward bottling single varietal wines, a practice increasingly demanded by consumers in the large New World wine market.
Taxonomy
Wines from the Languedoc can carry an enormous number of names ranging from broad regional designations like Vin de Pays d'Oc to very specific geographical classifications with restrictions on grape variety like AOC Corbières and AOC Minervois. Since the 1990s, the INAO has been creating smaller AOC classifications which take into account the intricate microclimates and soil variations in the Languedoc-Roussillon. Younger appelations like the Cabardes and subregions like Minervois la Liviniere are much smaller in scope (Joseph 2005:191). These new appelations have been praised by some since they reliably produce a consistent, better product. Others criticize the additions since they further complicate an already esoteric system of classification.
See also
References
- Joseph, Robert (2005). French Wine Revised and Updated. Dorling Kindersley. pp. pp. 190-201. ISBN 0-7566-1520-8.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help) - Robinson, Jancis (1999). The Oxford Companion to Wine 2nd ed. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. pp. pp. 395-398. ISBN 0-19-866-236-X.
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