Ep 246 - French Wine Deep Dive: Languedoc & Roussillon for WSET Diploma Students
In this flashcard-style WSET Diploma D3 “Wines of the World” episode, Janina dives deep into the sun-drenched vineyards of Languedoc and Roussillon, exploring the climate, terroir, grape varieties, and AOCs that define these huge and diverse regions. Perfect for students preparing for the WSET Diploma theory exam, this episode covers key facts, yields, blending rules, and appellation regulations — but it’s also for wine lovers who want to geek out on French wine or be inspired by some of the most exciting wines coming out of southern France today.
A detailed, geeky, and highly structured exploration of geography, grapes, regulations, and the stories behind the wines of Languedoc and Roussillon.
💡 Want more flashcard-style episodes? Previously, Janina has produced episodes to help with Fortified Wine and Sparkling Wine exams. You can find them here:
Ep 113: Shery, VdNs, Rutherglen Muscat
Ep 120: Port & Madeira
Ep 129: Sparkling Wine Production
Ep 136: Champagne
Ep 142: All other sparkling wines
🍷 This episode is sponsored by Zeno: Alcohol Liberated Wines (Non-Alcoholic Producer of the Year 2025 with the International London Wine Competition). The wine mentioned is the Zeno Alcohol-Liberated Red, an alcohol-free red crafted from Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, available from Waitrose and Waitrose Cellar.
Follow Zeno on Instagram @drinkzeno.
Shownotes
00:30 Why Languedoc-Roussillon is such a fascinating and large wine region – 224,000 ha under vine, more than South Africa, Chile, Argentina or Australia.
02:00 Climate overview – Mediterranean sunshine, low rainfall (~600 mm), and the Tramontane wind, reducing disease pressure and supporting organic viticulture.
03:15 Water stress, drought years, and impacts on yields – historical low yields in 2005 & 2015.
04:30 French wine classifications – AOC vs IGP, and what they mean for rules, grape selection, yields, and freedom.
05:30 Production breakdown – only 15% of Languedoc production is AOC, IGP dominates (~70%), cooperatives historically significant (~60%).
06:15 IGP Pays d’Oc – top red, white, and rosé percentages, 10–15% of all French wine, permitted 58 grape varieties, max yields, and affordability.
07:45 Principal grape varieties – Syrah, Grenache Noir, Merlot, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay.
08:30 AOC rules – minimum two grape varieties, at least one principal, blending rules for red wines.
09:15 Languedoc key AOCs (west → east) – Malepère & Cabardès (Atlantic-influenced), blending percentages, minimum principal grape percentages.
11:00 Limoux – sparkling wine history (first in 1531), key grapes, relevance to Diploma sparkling wine studies.
12:00 Corbières – fourth largest in France, hilly, up to 450 m, key red blends, sub-AOC Corbières-Boutenac with Carignan dominance.
13:15 Fitou – coastal vs inland differences, soil impact on concentration, blending rules.
14:00 La Clape – red and white, warm and arid, Grenache Blanc/Bourboulenc minimums for whites.
14:45 Minervois – typical red blend (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault), max 80% for any one variety, altitude impact on acidity and freshness.
15:30 Minervois-La Livinière – higher altitude, structured, fresher wines.
16:00 Faugères – schist soils, 250–400 m altitude, average yields 33 hl/ha, 40% organic, minimum 1 year ageing.
16:45 Terrasses du Larzac – AOC since 2014, reds only, high diurnal range (20°C), ripe fruit and acidity.
17:30 Pic Saint-Loup – most easterly, continental influence, Syrah ≥50%, red & rosé only, rainfall ~1,000 mm.
18:15 Picpoul de Pinet – white only, Picpoul Blanc, coastal vineyards, dry, medium-bodied, medium+ acidity, lemon and floral notes.
19:15 Roussillon overview – 21,000 ha, Pyrenees influence, 70% AOC, 25% Vin Doux Naturel, climate Mediterranean, rainfall 500–600 mm.
20:00 Key grape varieties – Grenache Noir, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Muscat (fortified & whites).
20:45 Roussillon AOCs – Côtes du Roussillon (largest, red/white/rosé), Côtes du Roussillon Villages (red, max yields, carbonic maceration), Collioure (coastal terraces, red & white, low yields), IGP Côtes Catalanes (premium reds and whites).
22:30 Max yields & blending rules for red, white, and rosé – practical numbers for Diploma revision.
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