PRESS RELEASE THE VINEYARDS OF OCCITANIE SOUTH-WEST AND SUD DE FRANCE Carole Delga Présidente de la Région Occitanie/Pyrénées-Méditerranée Présidente de Sud de France Développement Jean-Louis Cazaubon Vice-Président en charge de l’agroalimentaire et de la viticulture Et les Présidents des Interprofessions viticoles d’Occitanie Xavier de Volontat, Président du Conseil Interprofessionnel des vins du Languedoc Philippe Bourrier, Président du Conseil Interprofessionnel des vins du Roussillon Olivier Simonou, Président de l’Interprofession des vins Pays d’Oc IGP SUD OUEST PAYS D’OC Michel Defrances et Michel Carrere, Présidents de l’Interprofession des vins du Sud-Ouest vous invitent à la soirée de Découverte des Vignobles de la région Occitanie are delighted to invite you to the Occitanie Vineyards Event LANGUEDOC • ROUSSILLON • PAYS D'OC • SUD-OUESTle dimanche 18 février 2018 à 19 heures 45 LANGUEDOC ROUSSILLON au Musée Fabre à Montpellier on Sunday 18th February 2018 at 7:45 pm venue : Musée Fabre - Montpellier autour des vins et des vignerons LES VIGNOBLES du Languedoc, du Roussillon, du Pays d’Oc et du Sud Ouest. to discover wines and meet winegrowers of DE LA RÉGION OCCITANIE the Languedoc, Roussillon, Pays d’Oc and South West. DP VIGNOBLES 2 - V3 - GB.indd 1 Invitation valable pour 1 personne.16/05/2019 Merci11:17:47 de présenter cette invitation à l’accueil. Tenue correcte exigée. Invitation valid for 1 person. Please bring your invitation with you. Dress code: business. Contact : Sophie Steinloff / VINISUD - +33 (0)1 41 86 41 92. - sophie.steinloff@comexposium.com THE VINEYARDS OF OCCITANIE SOUTH-WEST AND SUD DE FRANCE 2 DP VIGNOBLES 2 - V3 - GB.indd 2 16/05/2019 11:17:53 the vineyards of Viticulture is a pillar of both our economy and regional agriculture. Wine forges our identity and our culture. It is closely linked to the destiny of our region: participating in our economy, culture, civilization, way of life, history and heritage. The Occitanie Region off ers great diversity, with a panorama of wines in two main families: ‘Sud de France’ wine and the wine of the South-West. Viticulture represents the leading sector for employment in our Region, with 100,000 jobs in Occitanie. We also have the world's biggest vineyard: 5% of total world wine production comes from Occitanie. We are the leading French region in terms of production. Occitanie is the leading wine export region in France too, and the most dynamic in terms of growth. The export turnover of regional wines is 988 million Euros. We EDITORIAL export around 26% of our production. We are the world’s number one vineyard for wines of by Carole Delga origin. Appellations of origin are, more than ever, an appropriate response to challenges facing the wine industry today. It is a huge business asset, off ering tremendous export opportunities. The ‘Sud de France’ brand has also contributed to heightening international reputation and, since its creation, has brought extraordinary value to the export wine market. Organic agriculture is also a major argument for promotion, and the Occitanie Region is betting strongly on this asset with already close to 1,800 organic vineyards in the region. The Occitanie / Pyrénées-Méditerranée Region is deeply committed to sustainable, high-quality, innovative and export-oriented viticulture. Our ambition is to be the 21st century’s leading wine- producing region. 3 DP VIGNOBLES 2 - V3 - GB.indd 3 16/05/2019 11:17:54 the vineyards of TWO HISTORICAL WINE-PRODUCING ZONES Sud de France covers the vineyards of Pays d'Oc, Roussillon and Languedoc. Reputed to be one of the most beautiful vineyards in the world, Languedoc- Roussillon expresses the innate style of Mediterranean wine perfectly: the wines tell a story, reveal traditional know-how and express regional landscapes. Wine-lovers will enjoy surprising friends with Southern-scented discoveries. Wine-experts will be seduced by the personality of these expressive wines. From varietal to more complex wines, the region offers an authentic, modern and creative selection to choose from. The South-West is made up of several zones: Aveyron, Tarn, Garonne, the Lot valley, Gascony and finally the Pyrenean foothills. The terroir is located between two mountain ranges, the Massif Central and the Pyrenees, but also between the Mediterranean and the Ocean. The vines are therefore under four different climate influences and the resulting wines have specific characteristics, all based on fresh fruit. Freshness and vivacity make the success of Gascony wines, while the easternmost continental influences give wines more of a ripe fruit touch. FRANCE’S NUMBER ONE WINE-PRODUCING REGION The largest wine region in France, with a surface area With 51 PDOs and 36 PGIs in all 13 departments, this of 263,000 hectares and a production volume of 14.8 is the leading vineyard in the world for quality labels. A million hectolitres*, the vineyards of the Occitanie strong regional identity, offering a wide range of wines in Region represent 1/3 of total French production and 5% all three colours, unique aromatic diversity and excellent of world production. value for money. The vineyards of Occitanie are undoubtedly the richest in Occitanie is also France's leading organic wine-producer, biodiversity with three main types of landscape: with 1,557 organic vineyards and 23,303 hectares of vines, • Mountains and highlands representing one-third of all French organic vineyards. • Foothills and intermediate slopes • Coastal plains The vineyards of Occitanie are also popular tourist destinations, offering an incredible diversity of vine Occitanie is the only French region with 4 climate and wine-related activities and services. One in three influences: Mediterranean, Oceanic, Continental and tourists visiting the region lists wine and gastronomy Mountainous. The exceptional sunshine of our region as the main reasons for a stay in Occitanie. naturally favours the ripening of grapes, while the four great winds (Mistral, Tramontane, Marine and Autan) play A key sector for the Occitanie destination, wine- an essential role as a natural bulwark against disease. tourism carries the values of lifestyle and the quest for meaning, sharing and experiencing, and is perfectly in tune with the expectations of today’s tourists. *source agriscope 2018 4 DP VIGNOBLES 2 - V3 - GB.indd 4 16/05/2019 11:17:57 Sud de France vineyards PAYS D'OC ROUSSILLON 120,000 hectares of vineyards between sea and The Roussillon is a sea-facing amphitheatre, dominated mountains. From the Camargue to the Pyrenees, the by hills, often difficult to cross, that separate it from sunny roads of wine taken 26 centuries ago by the neighbouring provinces. Geologically, Roussillon is Greeks and Romans, are now those of 13,000 dynamic a troubled area that underwent profound upheavals winemakers spread over four departments (Hérault, Aude, during the Tertiary and Quaternary eras. After the rise Gard, Pyrénées-Orientales) and six municipalities of the of the Pyrenees, the southern and northern parts of the Lozere. Since August 1st 2009, Pays d'Oc wines have Pyrénées-Orientales department experienced a very carried an official quality label:Protected Geographical different evolution. As a direct result of the numerous Indication (PGI). This is a 100% guarantee of the origin upheavals, the variety of soils and subsoils allows for of the wines produced under this denomination. For Pays interesting geological trails, each main area itself divided d'Oc winemakers, this official recognition crowns thirty into a multitude of terroirs, with distinct characteristics. years of intense labour in the Pays d'Oc production area, With 14 AOP / PDO and 2 PGIs, mainly based on 25 and the new label incorporates the innovative concept of different grape varieties,Roussillon wines offer incredible varietal wines into its specifications. This is the foundation diversity. of Pays d'Oc, with 58 authorized grape varieties and 100% of Pays d'Oc PGI wines are tasted and certified. vineyards of t h e LANGUEDOC In a region flooded by the sun and swept by headwinds SOUTH - WEST (sea breezes and Tramontane winds), the strictly limited The vineyards of South-West France range from the terroir of Languedoc AOPs benefit from Mediterranean Massif Central highlands to the foothills of the Pyrenees, influences, which diminish the further they are from the coast. and from the banks of the Garonne river to the Over the 40,000 hectares of vines, with 23 Languedoc Atlantic beaches of the Basque Country. Composed of , no two wines appellations and 13 regional denominations several subsets, the area is grouped into six parts: the are alike, except for one ancient, unerring common factor: the Pyrenean foothills, Gascony, the Garonne, the Tarn, the Mediterranean. The vineyards of the Languedoc appellation Lot valley and the Aveyron. From river plains to gently extend to the foot of the massifs of the Cevennes and Causses sloping hillsides, mountain foothills to sandy moors, in the north, and to the Pyrenees in the south. The vineyards the diversity of landscapes here has favoured the cover 4 departments, mainly Aude, Hérault, Gard, but also emergence of vineyards, each with their own, individual reach as far as the Pyrénées-Orientales, with the new regional character. AOP Languedoc appellation zone. The area is so large that History and pedoclimatic constraints have combined to there is a great diversity of terroir, each with their specific soils, produce a terroir with multiple, incredibly diverse scope. climates and grape varieties. The harmonious combination of natural components makes for unique wines. The Languedoc vineyard also has 3 Departmental PGIs and 16 Territorial PGIs, representative of the cultural and natural components of the vineyard: sites and heritage, nature and also the wine- growers themselves, who have been working to produce quality wines for many generations.