‘The DNA of the IGP Pays d’Oc is to make high quality, expressive varietal wines,’ says Florence Barthés, Normal Director of the designation. ‘And this permits a number of, completely different readings of the identical selection, from our completely different vineyards and proficient winemakers.’
It was certainly on the crossroads of custom and innovation that IGP Pays d’Oc was cast 35 years in the past, constructing upon greater than 26 centuries of native winemaking custom. It’s armed with this unbelievable accumulation of ancestral data and, concurrently, state-of-the-art analysis amenities that determined to push the boundaries of the native appellation wines, by investing in variety-led expressions that would compete within the worldwide markets with their worldwide counterparts. The final word check being their efficiency on the world stage and the response from shoppers and wine professionals.
‘We’re privileged – we’ve got a predominantly Mediterranean local weather with an amazing variety of soils,’ explains Christophe Felez, resident sommelier of the designation. ‘This implies we are able to mainly discover a great way to develop virtually any given grape efficiently. That is the right place to experiment and discover stability.’ Such sense of risk has animated producers to plant and experiment with completely different varieties, responding to each shopper demand and their very own inventive urge. Past the area’s indigenous and long-established grapes – together with the worldwide ‘traditional suspects’ corresponding to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, a lot of that are stunning for his or her high quality and purity when tasted alongside a few of their better-known counterparts – there’s been a rising curiosity in unlikely maverick grapes. Northern imports corresponding to Riesling or Gewürztraminer have flourished alongside the Iberian Alvarinho and Tempranillo. From elsewhere in France,Chenin and Sémillon have discovered fascinating methods to specific themselves between the Mediterranean and Languedoc-Roussillon’s inland mountain ranges.
‘They may in fact categorical themselves otherwise. You’ll not have the identical acidity or minerality from the classical northern varieties for instance; however you’ll be able to uncover a tremendous fragrant complexity and richness,’ Christophe Felez continues. ‘This has additionally meant loads of funding in analysis and improvement. With flexibility comes the necessity to study and analysis. The growers want to seek out the precise strategy to deal with these varieties right here. And all of it begins with discovering the precise place to plant. Nevertheless it additionally has to do with essential choices about harvest date and winemaking.’ The funding in practices tailor-made to every selection has paid off, with the wines exhibiting a unique focus with out ever shedding stability. Or certainly a way of place – removed from shedding regional identification, the introduction of ‘overseas’ grape varieties has allowed for a greater, deeper understanding of the vineyards of Languedoc-Roussillon and their potential to yield fruit of unbelievable complexity.
The truth that the wines produced are then in a position to compete on the worldwide stage in opposition to famend siblings (usually at a lot better worth) solely provides to the curiosity and intrigue of those experiments.
A daring shift from regional to a varietal focus, has paved the best way to a greater appreciation of the thrilling variety and singularity of the Pays d’Oc vineyards and the expertise of native growers. It has additionally given wine lovers the chance to (re)uncover each acquainted and lesser-known grapes, by way of the kaleidoscopic angle of a various territory the place a vibrant neighborhood of winemakers has each reinterpreted the classics and developed new approaches. ‘Now we have immense flexibility with this unbelievable vary of 58 varieties. It has allowed producers to essentially experiment and attain new audiences. Take the crimson wines for instance: within the early 2000s everybody was targeted on construction and matter, producing wines for conventional drinkers and restaurant settings. Now there’s an elevated demand for recent, lighter wines that may be drunk by a youthful viewers in bistrots and wine bars,’ concludes Florence Barthés.
Pays d’Oc embodies a quintessential Southern French method of consuming, consuming and having fun with life, rooted in creativity, exploration and complicated simplicity. Every grape that has discovered a brand new dwelling on this distinctive nook of the world is testomony to that.
Maverick varieties within the IGP Pays d’Oc
A bunch of sorts from all over the world have discovered a brand new dwelling in Pays d’Oc’s Languedoc-Roussillon, the place they categorical themselves in new, idiosyncratic methods, producing area of interest, stunning wines.
Alvarinho
From its unique dwelling in northwestern Portugal, as Alvarinho, the grape crossed the border to Galicia the place it has turn out to be the queen selection. Within the Pays d’Oc IGP Alvarinho finds a Mediterranean depth and width, with out the salinity of its Atlantic expressions, however with a singular textural and spicy enchantment.
Alicante Bouschet (Garnacha Tintorera)
After seeing its winery space decline to virtually zero in its homeland France, Alicante Bouschet was enthusiastically adopted within the Iberian Peninsula the place it gives the uncooked materials for Alentejo smokey and Almansa’s juicy reds. It now has a comeback within the Pays d’Oc with producers making the most of its teinturier traits to provide wines with little extraction however nonetheless bursting with color.
Chenin
Many love mineral precision Chenin finds within the Loire; others the luscious texture of the highest South African examples. Within the Mediterranean Pays d’Oc vineyards, the 2 extremes meet for Chenin Blancs which might be exact in construction but beneficiant within the mouth. In a single phrase: scrumptious.
Gewürztraminer
The Central European grape, recognized for its trademark floral aromas, deep unique fruit and unique touches, finds a fleshier, extra textural facet within the Pays d’Oc. With extra daylight hours, its pink-hued pores and skin grows thicker, producing wines with extra phenolic content material, in a position to carry the extraordinary flavours of peach, pineapple, mango and papaya with sturdy class. Winemakers are making good use of this potential for texture and fragrant complexity in candy but additionally characterful dry white wines.
Tempranillo
Cautious cover administration, exact choices on selecting instances and light-handed winemaking are producing wonderful outcomes, revealing a extra informal facet of the Spanish powerhouse. Christophe Felez mentions that partial or full carbonic maceration has been a key approach to provide freshness-driven wines a lot beloved in wine bars and for on a regular basis consuming.
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