Wines of Minervois from Languedoc-Roussillon wine region of France
About Wines from Languedoc, FranceMinervois Wine
Minervois is an appellation for distinctive red wines from the western Languedoc in France, in general suppler than the AOC Corbieres wine from an area just to the south. There is also a quantity of rose and white wines produced under the appellation.
The appellation takes its name from Minerve, a town surrounded by the southern French foothills, 25 miles (40km) from the Mediterranean coast. As is the case with so much of southern France, there is archaeological evidence of Roman viticulture in the area.
The Minervois appellation controlee was granted in 1985, since when the local wines have changed dramatically, gaining increasing praise from critics in France and abroad. Similar to many French appellations, this increase in quality is due to significant investments in winery equipment and improved vineyard management. Mourvedre and Syrah are the predominant varieties in AOC Minervois wines, making up at least 20 per cent of the blend. Grenache, Carignan and Cinsaut also play their part in the rustic character of these ancient wines. Bourboulenc, Vermentino, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Grenache Blanc are the key components of the appellation’s white wines, which vary considerably in quality and style. White Minervois is changing with time, becoming increasingly aromatic and refined.
In addition to dry red and white wines, the area has an historic local sweet wine-making tradition. Minervois Noble, as it is known, does not have a current appellation and is a golden, sweet wine made from the same white grapes as the dry wines. The grapes are picked when they have reached at a high level of sweetness, either by noble rot or by being dried out manually after picking. Muscat de St-Jean-de-Minervois, a delicate vin doux naturel is produced to the north of the Minervois area.
Full or partial carbonic maceration (up to two weeks) is used for vinifying most Minervois Carignan, while other red wine varieties are traditionally fermented for longer periods, with frequent pumping over or punching down to encourage greater extraction. De-stemming is increasingly being used to reduce the tannin levels in Minervois wines, and the red wines are generally aged for at least a year before release. Barrel maturation is becoming more common, but the Minervois name can rarely attract prices to justify the cost of this process.
The appellation is cleanly divided into five climatic zones: the Cotes Noires in the far north west on the coolest, most Atlantic-influenced foothills of the Montagne Noire; La Clamoux on alluvial terraces and flatter land in the south west towards Carcassonne; La Zone Centrale in the middle of the appellation at an altitude of around 1200ft (400 m); La Causse on high land and poor, dry soils in the north east where yields are lowest; and Les Serres in the warmest, most Mediterranean south east.
SOURCE: http://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-minervois
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