Terrasses du Larzac

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• The vineyard is bounded to the north by the Causse du Larzac plateau, at 800 metres altitude, whose steep escarpments overlook the vines, and to the south by the confluence of the Lergue and the Hérault rivers.
• The vineyard extends from 40 to 450 metres altitude, with the majority of parcels lying between 100 and 150 metres.
• The area, sheltered from northerly winds by the Larzac plateau, receives an annual average of 800 to 900 millimetres of rainfall, falling mainly in autumn and spring in a typically Mediterranean pattern.
• Because of the altitude, average temperatures are lower than on the coast, with significant diurnal variation and cool nights, while the absence of sea mist gives the sky a particular luminosity.
• The soils are developed on ancient Quaternary formations such as alluvial terraces, scree and colluvium, as well as on Jurassic limestones, Permian red sandstones and, more rarely, basalt, with low fertility and a high stone content ensuring good drainage.

• The Abbaye d'Aniane, founded by Saint Benedict in 782 and described as the 'mother' of the European Benedictine abbeys, marks an initial flourishing of the vineyard during the Middle Ages.
• The character of the wines rests on a blend drawn from four principal grape varieties — mourvèdre, syrah, grenache and carignan — and five accessory varieties.
• Traditional holdings, known locally as biens de village, generally consist of numerous parcels spread across several communes; this dispersion over varied soils and microclimates led growers to select from among the Languedoc varieties whichever was best suited to each situation.

• The wines are purple or garnet, sometimes with near-black glints, with a refined and complex nose combining red fruits, black fruits, spices, liquorice, black olive, violet, toasted notes and garrigue.
• On the palate, the wines show richness, a good tannic structure and a balance between generosity and freshness, with notes of ripe fruit and spices.
• These are essentially wines for ageing, requiring a minimum period of maturation, with some revealing their full character after more than 15 years.
• As they evolve, the wines develop notes of leather, hay or tobacco, and sometimes truffle.

• The alternation of warm days and cool nights during the ripening period promotes the development of aromas, particularly those of spices and red fruits.
• The low soil fertility, combined with deep-rooting that progressively draws on the water reserves, generates concentration of aromas and tannins.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 17 octobre 2014, JORF 19 octobre 2014
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — CIVL