Les Terrasses-du-Larzac organic

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If there’s one French wine region that’s full of nuggets, it’s Occitanie. This region, with its many wine-growing sub-regions, boasts a varied palette of red, white and rosé wines. AOC Terrasses du Larzac, a producer of red wines, is one of the region’s flagships and a leader in organic viticulture.

AOC Terrasses du Larzac

Recognized as an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée since October 17, 2014, the fruit of many efforts by the region’s winemakers, Terrasses du Larzac belongs to the Languedoc wine region, in the center of Occitanie. Spread over 668 hectares in 32 communes, Terrasses du Larzac is not a young appellation. Vines were first cultivated in the appellation by the Romans, who settled in the region over 2,000 years ago. Following the phylloxera crisis at the end of the 19th century, the vineyards were virtually wiped out. In the 20th century, viticulture was gradually revived in the Languedoc region, particularly in the Terrasses du Larzac, where conditions are ideal for producing high-quality red wines that are both complex and fresh.

The grape varieties authorized by the AOC specifications are typical of southern vineyards: carignan, cinsault, grenache, syrah and mourvèdre. Winemakers must blend at least two of these grape varieties to produce an AOC Terrasses de Larzac.

Organic viticulture in Terrasses du Larzac

Occitanie is France’s leading organic vineyard, accounting for 37% of the country’s organic acreage. Among the Occitan sub-regions, Languedoc (alongside Roussillon) is one of the forerunners and leaders in sustainable development and biodiversity preservation. Numerous initiatives have been introduced in the vineyards, such as reforestation of hedges or the introduction of pest predator species.

Les Terrasses du Larzac is part of this dynamic: of the appellation’s 668 hectares, 80% have environmental certification. A figure well above the national average! (which will rise to a paltry 17% in 2020). For Sébastien Fillon, president of the Terrasses du Larzac winegrowers’ association, “all the new winegrowers are going straight to organic”, the result of a collective conversion drive.

Among the excellent cuvées produced organically in the Terrasses du Larzac AOC, for example, is Cuvée Mahatma 2017. Its nose of ripe red fruit, sweet spices (turmeric and nutmeg), cocoa and tobacco, and its fresh, powerful, refined palate make it an original ally to a chocolate dessert. Mas Haut Buis, with its cuvée Costa Caoude 2016, offers a wine with characteristic garrigue aromas (laurel, thyme), revealing a fine balance between spices and tannins. The fine toasted note on the finish is the perfect accompaniment to Italian bruschetta or truffle brie.