Terroir & wines

Unlike most of the region’s appellations where the influence is full-on Mediterranean, here it doubles up with an Atlantic influence due to its transitional location between the hot, dry Mediterranean climate and the cool, damp weather rising off the Atlantic. There are two different prevailing winds – the westerly Cers and the sea breeze that blows across from the Mediterranean. These very distinctive weather patterns – combined with another seminal aspect of terroir, geology, which here is characterised by clay-limestone, lacustrine limestone and schist – have a very noticeable effect on the nature of the vineyards, starting with the varietal range. In other parts of Languedoc, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault take the lead role. Here, the three latter varieties share the limelight – and the list of authorised grapes – with less customary Languedoc cultivars: Bordeaux stars Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet-Sauvignon; Cot, aka Malbec in Cahors; and Fer Servadou, which is commonly grown in Aveyron and in the Gaillac appellation area near Albi.