Terrasses du Larzac

France · AOC · Languedoc-Roussillon

Styles

Natural factors

Vineyards ranging from 40 to 450 m in altitude, with the majority of plots lying between 100 and 150 m, at the foot of the causse du Larzac plateau (800 m).
Soils on Quaternary alluvial terraces, Jurassic limestones, Permian red sandstones, and basalt, with a high proportion of stones.
Soils of low fertility and good drainage, with water reserves distributed through the deeper layers.
Mediterranean climate: 800–900 mm of annual rainfall concentrated in autumn and spring, cool nights, and luminous skies free of marine haze.
The plateau du Larzac shields the vineyards from northerly winds; the dominant winds are the Tramontane (dry and cold) and the marin (moist).

Human factors

Blends draw on 4 principal grape varieties (mourvèdre, syrah, grenache, carignan) and 5 accessory varieties, with each plot matched to the variety best suited to it.

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.