Languedoc-Roussillon Wine

The first to plant grapevines in the region of Languedoc were the Greeks in the 5th century BC. Like most French vineyards, the Romans subsequently brought their technique of viticulture, favouring vineyard expansion in the territory. Narbonne - the first large Gallo-Roman city - claims the oldest effervescent wine in the world: the Blanquette de Limoux. The vines thrived on the stony hills where nothing else grew. The arrival of the railway in the 19th century boosted the growth of wine production, unfortunately at the expense of its quality. The Languedoc-Roussillon wine region alone came to be the provider of 40% of the total French wine production. In 1907 winegrowers, ruined by overproduction, broke out in revolt against adulterated wines born to beat the threatening foreign competition. Starting from the 60s, the image of the region was enhanced, thanks to the renowned appellations and estates. Among the most notorious appellations are Pic Saint-Loup, Terrasses du Larzac, Saint-Chinian and Corbières.