Court of Master Sommeliers – Appellations, Classifications and Regions France – Languedoc Languedoc AOP

AOC/AOP Regulations

Département

  • Aude, Gard, Hérault, Pyrénées-Orientales

Geographical Designations

  • Cabrières, Grés de Montpellier, La Méjanelle, Montpeyroux, Pézenas, Quatourze, Saint-Christol, Saint-Drézéry, Saint-Georges-d’Orques, Saint-Saturnin, Sommières

Size

  • 9,661 ha

Styles and Encépagement

  • Blanc: 
    • Principal Varieties (vineyard must contain at least two): Piquepoul Blanc (max. 50%), Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Tourbat, and Vermentino
    • Accessory Varieties: max. 30% combined Carignan Blanc, Terret Blanc, Macabeu, and Viognier (max. 10% Viognier)
  • Rosé (Min. 2 varieties present): 
    • Principal Varieties: Min. 50% combined Syrah, Mourvèdre (min. 20% combined Syrah and Mourvédre), Grenache Noir, and Lledoner Pelut (min. 20% combined Grenache Noir and Lledoner Pelut if Carignan is present)
    • Accessory Varieties: Cinsault, Carignan (max. 40%), plus a max. 10% combined Counoise, Grenache Gris, Morrastel, Piquepoul Noir, Rivairenc, Terret Noir, and white varieties
  • Rouge (Min. 2 varieties present): 
    • Principal Varieties: Min. 50% combined Syrah, Mourvèdre (min. 20% combined Syrah and Mourvédre), Grenache Noir, and Lledoner Pelut (min. 20% combined Grenache Noir and Lledoner Pelut if Carignan is present)
    • Accessory Varieties: max. 40% Carignan; max. 40% Cinsault; max. 10% combined Counoise, Grenache Gris, Morrastel, Piquepoul Noir, Rivairenc, and Terret Noir
  • Rosé and Rouge Primeur/Nouveau
  • Note: The geographical designations of Languedoc have more restrictive regulations and greater limits on styles of production. See table below for more information.

Assemblage

  • Blanc: Min. 2 grapes, with a max. 80% of any single variety.  Blend must be dominated by principal varieties.
  • Rosé and Rouge: Min 2 grapes, with a max. 80% of any single variety.  
    • Min. 40% combined principal varieties (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Lladoner Pelut)
    • Max. 30% accessory varieties (except Carignan and Cinsault)

Minimum Potential Alcohol

  • 11.5% (Most geographical designations require 12% or 12.5%.)

Minimum Must Weights

  • White Grapes: 190 g/l
  • Red Grapes: 198 g/l

Maximum Residual Sugar

  • Blanc/Rosé: 4 g/l
  • Rouge:
    • < 14% potential alcohol: 3 g/l
    • > 14% potential alcohol: 4 g/l
  • Rosé/Rouge Primeur/Nouveau: 2 g/l

Minimum Planting Density

  • 4,000 vines per hectare (Most geographical designations require 4,400-5,000 vines per hectare.)

Maximum Yield (Rendement de Base)

  • Blanc: 60 hl/ha
  • Rosé/Rouge: 50 hl/ha

AOC Established

  • 1985 (as Coteaux du Languedoc AOC) (last updated 2017)

Links

Languedoc Geographical Designations (11)

Geographical Designation Encépagement Assemblage
Cabrières
(Hérault)		 Rouge: Min. 60% combined Grenache and Syrah; Min. 25% Syrah; Max. 40% combined Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Carignan; max. 10% Morrastel

Rosé: Max. 70% combined Cinsault and Grenache Noir; Min. 45% Cinsault; Min. 20% Grenache Noir; Max. 35% combined Mourvèdre and Syrah; Max. 10% other red and white varieties		 Blend of at least 2 varieties. No single variety may exceed 65% of the blend.

Rouge: Min. 50% combined Grenache Noir and Syrah

Rosé: Min. 30% Cinsault, Min. 20% Grenache Noir; Max. 35% combined Mourvèdre and Syrah; Max. 10% other red and white varieties
 
Grés de Montpellier
(Hérault)		 Rouge: Min. 70% combined Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre; Min 20% combined Syrah and Mourvèdre; Min. 20% Grenache Noir (if Carignan is present, min. 10% if not); plus Carignan and a max. 10% combined Morrastel and Cinsault Blend of at least 2 varieties. No single variety may exceed 80% of the blend. Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre are in the majority.
 
La Méjanelle
(Hérault)		 Rouge: Min. 75% combined Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, and Syrah; Min. 30% Grenache Noir; Min. 20% combined Syrah and Mourvèdre; plus Carignan and a max. 10% combined Cinsault and Morrastel Blend of at least 2 varieties. No single variety may exceed 70% of the blend. Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre are in the majority. Min. 30% Grenache Noir
 
Montpeyroux
(Hérault)		 Rouge: Min. 3 varieties present, and none may exceed 75% of plantings. Min. 60% combined Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre; Min. 20% combined Syrah and Mourvèdre; plus Cinsault and Carignan Blend of at least 3 varieties. No single variety may exceed 70% of the blend. Min. 40% combined Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre
 
Pézenas
(Hérault)		 Rouge: No single variety may exceed 70% of plantings. Min. 75% combined Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah; Min. 20% combined Syrah and Mourvèdre; plus Carignan and Cinsault (Min. 20% Grenache Noir if Carignan is present) Blend of at least 2 varieties. No single variety may exceed 80% of the blend. Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre are in the majority.
 
Quatourze
(Aude)		 Rouge: No single variety may exceed 70% of plantings. Min. 70% combined Grenache Noir, Syrah, and Mourvèdre; Min. 40% combined Syrah and Mourvèdre; plus Carignan, Cinsault, and Lledoner Pelut Blend of at least 2 varieties. No single variety may exceed 70% of the blend. Min. 60% combined Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre
     
Saint-Christol
(Hérault)		 Rouge: At least 3 varieties must be present in the vineyard. Min. 70% combined Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, and Syrah; Min. 20% combined Syrah and Mourvèdre; Min. 20% Grenache Noir (if Carignan is present, min. 10% if not); Max. 10% Cinsault; Max. 10% Morrastel; Max. 10% combined Piquepoul Noir and Counoise Blend of at least 2 varieties. No single variety may exceed 65% of the blend. Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre are in the majority.
 
Saint-Drézéry
(Hérault)		 Rouge: No single variety may exceed 70% of plantings. Min. 70% combined Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre; Min. 40% combined Syrah and Mourvèdre; Min. 20% Grenache Noir (if Carignan is present, min. 10% if not); plus Carignan and Cinsault Blend of at least 2 varieties. No single variety may exceed 80% of the blend. Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre are in the majority, and Syrah must be present in the blend.
 
Saint-Georges-d’Orques
(Hérault)		 Rouge: At least 2 varieties must be present in the vineyard. Min. 70% combined Grenache Noir (min. 10%), Syrah, and Mourvèdre; Min. 40% combined Grenache Noir and Syrah; Min. 20% combined Syrah and Mourvédre; plus Cinsault and Carignan Blend of at least 2 varieties. No single variety may exceed 80% of the blend. Min. 60% combined Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre
 
Saint-Saturnin
(Hérault)		 Rouge: At least 3 varieties must be present in the vineyard, and none may exceed 75% of plantings. Min. 60% combined Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre; min. 25% combined Syrah and Mourvèdre; plus Carignan and a max. 30% Cinsault Blend of at least 3 varieties. No single variety may exceed 70% of the blend. Min. 40% combined Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre
     
Sommières
(Gard)		 Rouge: At least 2 varieties must be present in the vineyard, and none may exceed 75% of plantings. Min. 70% combined Grenache Noir, Syrah, and Mourvèdre; Min. 50% combined Grenache Noir and Syrah; Min. 20% Syrah; Min. 20% Grenache Noir (if Carignan is present); plus Cinsault and Carignan Blend of at least 2 varieties. No single variety may exceed 80% of the blend. Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre are in the majority.
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