Located in the Hérault, between Béziers and Pézenas, the Thongue ribs inherit their name from the small river that irrigates their territory. Backing onto the Cévennes, the terroir stretches out in stages towards the Mediterranean in a succession of gravelly marls, clays then pebble terraces. Oriented downhill from north to south, it is punctuated in places by hilly reliefs called puechs. Well exposed to Mediterranean influences, the Thongue ribs benefit from geological and meteorological convergences that are particularly favorable to viticulture. The appellation authorizes the establishment of more than a hundred grape varieties but the Languedocian species are dominant there. In red and rosé stand out Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Pinot or Carignan. The white wines include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Vermentino and Muscats. The appellation covers 23 municipalities which group together around sixty estates and close to ten cooperatives. Under the impetus of Conservatory of Natural Areas of Languedoc Roussillon the Thongue ribs have been engaged since 2016 in a biodiversity approach promoted by an environmental charter.
