Languedoc-Roussillon is France's largest wine region and has more organic vineyard land than anywhere else on the planet! Its sheer size means it can produce an enormous variety of wine styles, from sparkling wines to rich whites, spicy reds, and even luscious dessert wines. Biodynamic winemaking pioneer Gérard Bertrand takes center stage, highlighting why caring for the planet and producing incredible wines aren't mutually exclusive. Explore the largest, oldest, and sunniest wine region in France on this episode of V is for Vino!
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DESCRIPTION: Languedoc-Roussillon, France, is the largest wine-producing region in the entire world! Crazy right? It’s also one of the most historic. The Greeks explored this area, and the Romans used the city of Narbonne as a Port and trading hub, as it was at the intersection of some of their major roadways. The Romans would plant vines all along the roads and also use them to transport wines from Languedoc-Roussillon across the Roman Empire. Today, Languedoc-Roussilon produces more wine than any other region in France. However, until the last few decades, much of it was unmemorable bulk wine. But more recently, there’s been a focus on establishing AOCs and producing wines with a sense of terroir and quality. Plus, many of the producers here are organic or biodynamic, like our featured producer in the episode @Gerardbertrandofficial Not only has the quality of the wine increased, but because the region is so large, you can literally find every style of wine here! Sparkling, white, rosé, orange, red, dessert, and sweet wines are all common. While there are dozens of grape varieties allowed, there is a grape that Languedoc-Roussillon can claim as its own, and that’s Carignan. This is a “medium” grape: medium-bodied, medium acid, medium tannin. It’s known for its juicy red fruits (cranberry, raspberry) and spice. In this episode, we'll also go hunting for the best bread in the area, visit Carcassonne, the medieval town famous for its Cassoulet, and have an exquisite meal in the Moon Room complete with an audio/visual light show, as well as food and wine pairings. We end the episode at Gruissan's mysterious pink salt farms. I hope you get to visit Languedoc-Roussillon in the South of France, it's such a gem!
WINES FEATURED (GÉRARD BERTRAND) IN ORDER:
Cote des Roses Rosé
Orange Gold
Château L'Hospitalet "Grand Vins"
L'Hospitalitas
Château de l'Hospitalet "Art Collection"
Gris Blanc Rosé
Hérésie
La Forge
Cuvée 100 Les Arbousiers
Castellum
Clos du Temple
Villa Soleilla
Clos d'Ora
Cigalus
Castellum Blanc
Aigle Royal Pinot Noir
Legend Vintage Maury 1929
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
00:59 Narbonne/Geography and History
06:04 The Best Bread Ever
07:45 Meet Gérard at L'Hospitalet Beach
14:17 Grapes of Languedoc-Roussillon
18:37 Vino VIP
20:02 Chateau L'Hospitalet Resort
24:49 Narbonne Market
27:09 Château Villamajou w/Emma
31:47 Visit Our Website
32:09 Carcassonne and Cassoulet
34:32 Biodynamics
37:09 "Icone" Wines
43:53 The Moon Room Restaurant
48:46 Outro/Salt Farms of Gruissan
50:28 Credits
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ABOUT V IS FOR VINO:
Wish learning about wine was easier? It's fun AND easy with your personal sommelier, travel guide, and host, Vince! Join him as he travels the world of wine - eating, drinking, and breaking down wine topics for you up close and personal! Want to know more? On each episode of V is for Vino, you'll:
- Meet a winemaker and learn their story. One of the best parts of drinking wine is getting to know the place where it came from and the people who made it!
- Learn about the grapes. Vince breaks down wine topics easily, making them fun and easy to understand!
- Visit the region. Not everyone gets to travel to wine country as much as they'd like, so experience the beauty and culture firsthand with Vince. Travel the world and sip along from the comfort of your couch!
- Cook dishes that pair at a local restaurant because what's good wine without good food? Luckily, the world of wine is full of amazing chefs and restaurants ready to serve up something delicious to pair with the wine you just learned about.
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