John Wilson | Domaine la Sarabande Faugeres "Les Rabasses" 2020

A Guide to Languedoc Reds

"One general rule is that mountainous terrain further from the sea produces more interesting wines. 

The Languedoc is a vast area curling around the Mediterranean Sea from the Spanish border to the mouth of the Rhône. As one of the largest vineyards in the world, it produces every possible kind of wine from sparkling through to sweet. However, it is best known for its robust reds, usually made from ablend of local grapes including grenache, syrah, mourvèdre and carignan. These can be very good, and some offer fantastic value for money. 

Cheap wine and over-production has always been a problem; despite various uprooting schemes, huge swathes of vines on flat vineyards going back from the coast produce large quantities of inexpensive wine. Many form part of the IGP (Indication Géographique Proté- gée),a loose term covering all sorts of wine, including most of the international varieties, such as cabernet, chardonnay, and syrah. Much of it is labelled as pays d'oc. 

Generally speaking, as you move back from the sea, the terrain becomes more mountainous, and the wines become more interesting. While full-throttle reds are still common, some cooler regions can produce very elegant lighter wines as well as plenty of refreshing white wines. Some sub regions, such as Corbières, Minervois and Faugères, have been elevated to the superior Appellation Contrôlée status."

Domaine la Sarabande Faugeres "Les Rabasses" 2020

"Very stylish, rich and rounded ripe dark fruits, with a lovely savoury twist and soft tannins. Perfect with roast or barbecued red meats and firm cheeses"