Location
Classified as an AOP since 2003, the Languedoc – Grés de Montpellier appellation encompasses the vineyards surrounding the Montpellier metropolitan area. To the west, it extends to the northern tip of the Thau Lagoon, where it borders the Picpoul de Pinet vineyards . To the east, it stretches from the outskirts of Montpellier to the Vidourle Valley. To the south, the Mediterranean Sea forms its horizon, while the Pic Saint Loup hills establish the northern boundary. A unique feature of the Grés de Montpellier terroir is that it also includes four other Languedoc appellations : La Méjanelle, Saint-Christol, Saint-Drezery, and Saint-Georges-d'Orques. This inclusion is due to the appellation's vast size, extending along a coastal strip of nearly 60 kilometers along the Mediterranean. Although some alluvial variations nuance the geology of the vineyard, their common origin resulting from the work of rivers and the sea consolidated by climatic coherence proves to be decisive in the homogeneity of the wines.
History, climate, terroir
A terroir well-suited to vines since Roman times, wine production flourished around the Via Domitia and the Roman port of Lattara . The medieval period, supported by the monastic activity of the abbeys of Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone and later Valmagne , helped to solidify the long-term presence of vineyards. The Mediterranean climate, regulated by sea breezes to the south but protected from the cold by the Cévennes mountains to the north, contributes favorably to the ripening cycle. In Languedoc, the term " sandstone " refers to stony soil. Shaped by the proximity of the Rhône delta, the alluvial terraces where the vineyards take root are characterized by the density of limestone fragments and the layers of rounded pebbles that cover the soil. The Grés de Montpellier appellation is reserved for red wines, with Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre being the dominant grapes, intended to be blended in pairs at least 70% of the blend. Cinsault and Carignan may also be used to round out the wines. Emphasizing a balance between fruit and spice, yet possessing a typically southern character, Grés de Montpellier wines are also distinguished by their breadth and silky tannins.
The Grés de Montpellier vineyard
Alexandre Thouroude , director of the appellation from 2018 to 2020, outlines in three key points the determinants that forge the reputation of the vineyard: its history , its climate , its stony soils called scree in Occitan.
Where to taste Grés de Montpellier wines?
Domaine de Verchant
Domains Paul Mas
