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| The 6 best wines in South France |
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 If you're coming to South France and you like good wine, then you're in for a real treat. With 6 stand-out wine appelations, together with some excellent independent producers you can not fail to be impressed, especially if you stick to our tried and tested selection.
1. Picpoul-de-Pinet white wineIf you're going to drink white wine in the South of France, then it has to be Picpoul-de-Pinet. The production of the world famous Picpoul de Pinet white wine is centered around a few small villages close to the Bassin de Thau, that produces much of France's high class oysters and mussels. Situated on a limestone plateau, the vineyards produce an outstanding white wine. The Picpoul de Pinet white wine is made from a single Piquepoul grape variety and is a light acidic wine, with citrus fruit aromas. It is the perfect accompaniment to seafood. Most Picpoul-de-Pinet white wines are of a high standard, but my personal choice would include:
The guys that I play football with also recommend the Picpoul de Pinet white wine produced in the village of Castleneau-des-Gueres, on the hill above Pezenas. But this was just after we had been thumped 3-nil by Pinet-Florensac - so they may have been biased!
2. Fitou wines, South France
My choice of Fitou wines would include:
3. Saint-Chinian wines, South France
 At the foot of the Montagne-Noire (Black Mountains) and covering the picturesque Orb valley, the Saint-Chinian wine appeallation was formed in 1982 to group together the wine production from twenty villages, centering around the town of Saint-Chinian. With its strong focus on high quality wine production, Saint-Chinian wines have won a well-deserved reputation for fruity, full-bodied wines. Although some rose is produced, my preference is to stick with the reds.
Saint-Chinian wines to look out for include:
4. Faugeres wines, South France
My favourite Faugeres wine is the Mas Olivier. But you can't go far wrong with any wines produced by this tightly controlled appelation.
5. Minervois wines, South France
6. Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines, South France
 Chateauneuf-du-Pape is such an amazing wine and so close-by that it is worth a detour up to Avignon to seek it out. The Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines need no introduction to wine buffs everywhere. Situated 20km from Avignon, this appellation of wines is famous the world over. The story of Chateauneuf du Pape begins in the 14th century when the Pope's court moved to Avignon. John XXII, the second pope from Avignon, who reigned from 1316 to 1334, had a castle built as a summer residence on the heights of the village of Calcernier, several kilometres from Avignon. This village was renamed Chateauneuf du Pape ('the Pope's new house') in 1893,. The small vineyards near to the village produced an excellent wine, known locally as "the Pope's wine". The Chateauneuf du Pape wine Appellation was created in 1933. The Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines appellation, produces wines which are rich, spicy and full-bodied. The preferred grapes are Grenache and Mourvedre. Some have also planted Syrah for the tannin and structure it adds to the wines. The earth around Chateauneuf du Pape is amazingly rocky, but that's one of the secrets of the outstanding Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines. The stones act as a storage heater, soaking up the Provencal sunshine during the day, and releasing the heat into the night, long after sunset.
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| Last Updated on Friday, 06 March 2009 11:04 |
Fitou is a large red wine appellation situated North of Perpignan in Roussillon, France. The dominant vine variety of the Fitou wines are Carignan which constitutes 40% of any blend. Grenache, Llandoner Pelut, Mourvedre and Syrah are also often blended with it. Fitou wines are made for drinking young, and tend to be tannic with fresh fruit flavours. I find that there are some mediocre Fitou's. I have great faith in the Wine Co-operative at Tuchan that produces the popular Mont Tauch wines, with the distinctive black and white label. Head winemaker Michel Marty who has led the Mont Tauch cooperative for the last 15 years has overseen an impressive investment in both the winery and in the vineyards of its members. He has also rigorously enforced a policy of paying wine growers based on the quality of the finished wine. The result is a consistently high standard of wine.
Created in 1985, the Minervois AOC uses Mourvedre and Syrah grapes to bring an aromatic finesse to the Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, Clairette and Muscat grapes. The Minervois wine region is located within a triangle formed in-between Beziers, Carcassonne and Narbonne. The region is hilly and the soil is good. As a tip, if you prefer full-bodied reds choose a Minervois from a high altitude vineyard. The reds from the eastern part of the region, towards the Mediterranean, are often well structured with a fine blackcurrant aroma. In the central part of the region, the white Minervois wines are fresh and rich and slightly sweeter than the whites from the western part of the region, closer to Carcassonne.
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