The Wine Tourist's Guide

THE WINE TOURIST’S GUIDE VIGNOBLES & DÉCOUVERTES EN LIMOUXIN HISTORIC & LEGENDARY VINEYARD Situated between 250 and 500 metres above sea level, the Limouxin wine region sits in a fabulous and unspoilt natural setting, made famous thanks to the dedication of its winegrowers and winemakers, a majority of whom have now embraced organic or sustainable agriculture. The region is recognised as the origin of sparkling wines, highlighted by a document dating from 1544 mentioning the “Blanquette de Limoux”. The Limoux wine region encompasses 7000 hectares of LIMOUX vineyards and 30 000 hectares of forest. The wide range of both sparkling and still wine “appellations” found here is a compliment to the ability and expertise of the producers. An average of 90,000 hectolitres of wine a year are produced under the “AOP Limoux” (Protected designation of origin) label, 80% of which are sparkling, and 20% still. 11 21 33 WINERIES & WINE CELLARS 39 ACCOMMODATION 47 RESTAURANTS & WINE BARS ACTIVITIES & HERITAGE EVENTS & TRAVEL AGENCIES Vignobles & Découvertes en Limouxin — 3 THE WINE REGION OF LIMOUX THE LIMOUX “TERROIRS” The first sparkling wine Terroir Océanique CARCASSONNE The “Blanquette de Limoux” has its origin during 200 to 300 metres ← TOULOUSE the middle ages, in the cellars of the Benedictine in altitude with an NARBONNE → Abbey of St. Hilaire, when in 1544 the abbey monks average precipitation Terroir discovered that the wine that they carefully of 780mm/ year. Later Aude Méditerranéen bottled and corked started producing bubbles, as maturity than the 100 to 200 metres if starting a new cycle of fermentation. Méditerranéen and Roufﬁac-d’Aude in altitude with Hence the world’s first sparkling wine was born in Autan regions (about an average Cépie the Limoux wine region, in the magnificent abbey Pomas a 2 week gap). Ladern-sur-Lauquet precipitation of whose vertical walls of naturally earth toned 650mm/year. This stones complement the perfect geometry of the Gaja-et-Villedieu Saint-Hilaire Pauligne Pieusse Gardie region produces the horizontal rows in the surrounding vineyards. Malras Villebazy Loupia LIMOUX Villar-Saint-Anselme first harvests. Villelongue-d’Aude Ajac La Digne-d’Aval La Digne-d’Amont Saint-Polycarpe Magrie The first AOC of the Castelreng Cournanel Tourreilles Terroir d’Autan Saint-Couat-du-Razès Languedoc region Roquetaillade 150 to 200 metres in Alet-les-Bains Bouriège altitude with an average Designated in 1929, the Limoux wine region was Festes-et- Conilhac-de-la-Montagne the first in the Languedoc to receive the AOC Saint-André precipitation of 570mm/ Archival document dated 1544 attesting to the La Serpent Luc-sur-Aude Peyrolles label (Controlled designation of origin). The Antugnac year. The region benefits authenticity of the Blanquette Terroir Cassaignes Montazels Couiza “Blanquette de Limoux” and the “Blanquette Fa Serres from a hot and dry Haute Vallée Espéraza Coustaussa Méthode Ancestrale” (decree of the 18th February climate which places it 1938) were among the first such designations in An altitude upwards Campagne-sur-Aude the whole of France. of 300 metres second for harvesting, with an average just after the Terroir • AOC Blanquette 1938 Méditerranéen. precipitation of QUILLAN • AOC Méthode ancestrale 1938 750mm/ year. This is the region of choice • AOC white 1959 for chardonnay and merlot vines. • AOC Crémant 1990 • AOC red 2004 Lanscaped Vineyards These four territories were the subject of a study carried out at the request of the “Syndicate du Cru” andtitled villages “Landscaped of the LimouxVineyards”. region Following have planted: its publication the towns • Yellow roses in the vineyards of the “Terroir d’Autan” • Red roses in the “Terroir Méditerranéen” • Pink roses in the “Terroir Océanique” • Orange roses in the “Terroir Haute Vallée” 4 — Vignobles & Découvertes en Limouxin Vignobles & Découvertes en Limouxin — 5 Red Pinot noir THE GRAPES A varietal which requires higher temperatures as well as a certain chill. It has adapted well to the Limouxin region where it acts as a base in such wines as the AOP Crémant de Limoux, both white as well as rosé. It is also used White for red wines, yielding high quality wines Cabernet franc combining finesse, strength, and intense and Chardonnay complex aromas. Pinot Noir is the dominant Native to the South-West, this varietal serves grape of the IGP (Indication Géographique as a supplementary grape for the AOP Limoux This grape variety has the potential to produce Protégée) Haute Vallée de l’Aude. Red. The clusters are medium sized and the high quality dry white, sparkling and even berries are small. It can produce high quality, some sweet wines. The grapes may contain aromatic wines, but the levels of sugars, high levels of sugar while still maintaining Merlot acids and polyphenols (providing the colour a significant level of acidity. This enables the A Bordelais varietal, Merlot is the major grape intensity and tannin structure) are average, production of particularly well balanced, in the blending of the AOP Limoux Red. The which means that the resulting wines are powerful and ample wines. The aromas are grape clusters are small or medium in size, fragile during maturation. typically complex and intense: dried fruit, and the berries medium sized. Black Merlot grilled hazelnuts, exotic fruits, butter, … produces round, powerful wines, rich in Cabernet Sauvignon alcohol and colour, relatively low in acidity. Chenin The full-bodied, structured wines these grapes The Cabernet Sauvignon Noir gives wines produce, with soft tannins, are ideal for ageing that possess a very intriguing tannic structure Depending on the growing and soil conditions in wood barrels. The aromas are complex and and sustained colour with good maturity. (limestone or slate soil), this grape can also elegant. Generally well suited for ageing, including be used for sparkling, dry or sweet wines. barrel ageing. The “green” aromas of this The acidity levels can be significant, and the varietal give way to more pleasant and resulting products are potentially elegant, Syrah complex aromas once maturity has been generally quite lively, nervous, with honey Syrah grapes produce red wines with a high reached. aromas. alcoholic strength, suited for ageing and large quantities. These wines often have an intense Grenache noir Mauzac bluish colour, very aromatic, fine and complex (violet, olive, leather, …), tannic, full bodied The potential level of sugar in this varietal is This varietal is the “trademark” grape of the and relatively low in acidity. very high but the colour rapidly decreases as Limoux AOP (it can only be found here and in yields increase. The acidity is generally quite the region around Gaillac). It is the basic grape low. The Grenache noir produces very finely for the AOP Limoux Blanquette de Limoux, Côt or Malbec structured and aromatic “vins de garde”, under and AOP Limoux Méthode Ancestrale. The With well-managed production, this early the condition that it is cultivated on quality dominant aromas being, in general, apple, varietal produces well coloured wines that soil, where the yield is perfectly controlled, pear, quince and honey. are perfumed and tannic, suitable for ageing. resulting in a wine with good colour. Before the wine is corked, a liqueur (called the ‘liqueur d’expédition) is added which gives the SYNDICAT DES VINS “brut” character. After resting another two AOC DE LIMOUX months, the bottles are labelled and shipped to all four corners of the world. 23 bis Avenue Fabre d’Eglantine 11300 Limoux (France) Unlike most other wine appellations, +33 4 68 31 12 83 THE SPARKLING WINES Blanquette and Crémant receive their final quality check only after the second [email protected] weather. The process is stopped by filtration fermentation, which in turn represents an AOP Limoux and cooling in order to preserve some of the additional quality guarantee. residual sugars. The must ferments until the Blanquette and Crémant wines are generally Blanquette de Limoux alcohol content in the wine reaches 5 to 6%. best drunk within three years of the harvest. The wine is then bottled in March with the old The top-of-the-shelf “cuvées” are matured on A complex, subtle, but very controlled method or waning moon and fermentation resumes is needed for this appellation, the so-called laths? for up to five years before separation until the wine reaches its final alcohol content of the sediment, the wine gaining finesse and “traditional method”. During the pressing of of 6 to 7%. the grapes, the first juices drawn, clear and complexity. pure, are used to produce what are called the The natural lightness and sweetness of “Tête de Cuvée” wines. this sparkling wine is due to the presence of residual sugar in the wine. The various grape varieties which form the finished wine are then fermented separately THE STILL WINES before being blended and bottled to form the various “cuvées” of the different vineyards. AOP Crémant de Limoux The winemaker can ferment the wine either in This is the process where the style and The Crémant de Limoux follows a similar Limoux White quality of the finished wine is created. To vats, or in oak casks depending on the quality method of fermentation used for Blanquette. Harvesting is done by hand to avoid crushing provoke a second fermentation in the bottle, and characteristics he wants to obtain. The first juices of the base wines of the grapes, which must arrive at the winery a ‘tirage’ liqueur is added and the creation of Chardonnay, Chenin, Mauzac and Pinot whole for pressing. The Limoux Rouge matures in the tanks or the bubbles starts. The bottles must then be Noir– the four grapes allowed within this barrels until at least the 1st of May of the year stored, for at least nine months. Limoux Blanc is unique in that it is the only designation - are drawn during pressing and following the harvest.

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