During the height of the Roman Empire, a cluster of seven towns around (and including) the trading port of Narbo gave rise to the name of the occupied territory itself: Septimanie.
Although the word Septimanie was derived from the Latin root for "seven," this region lay claim to some significant "firsts." It was among the first territories in Gaul to formalize viticulture.
It was the very first wine region in the world to fortify fermenting grape must to create a sweet, stable and long-lived wine product; and it was the first to intentionally and consistently produce a sparkling wine.
Yep. The citizens of Septimanie were producing fortified dessert wines 400 years before port was born, and in 1531 a visiting monk by the name of Dom Perignon learned a thing or two about capturing the bubble in the bottle at the Languedoc abbey of St. Hilaire … a technique he further developed when he got home to champagne.
Unfortunately, the port of Narbo silted up and a huge wine trade became land-locked. The canal du Midi, an engineering feat of the 17th century, attempted to get product to the port of Bordeaux, but did not bank on the protectionist policies of that city. In fact, it wasn't until France expanded its rail system in the mid-19th century that the wines of Septimanie reached the world again in any significant quantity.
Septimanie was one of the first wine regions in France to succumb to phylloxera, but it was also the first to recover. It became a juggernaut of wine production in France when the rest of the country was still ripping out vines and ripping out hair. But the focus was on quantity, not quality, and as the rest of France recovered their vineyards, Septimanie had trouble selling its wines.
Of course, by this time Septimanie was no longer one region, it was two: Languedoc and Roussillon. History had taken its toll and the region's vinous fortunes had waxed and waned.
But, the funny thing about history is … it just keeps repeating itself.
Languedoc and Roussillon were rejoined administratively in 1972, and as a united front, they exploded onto the world wine market in the 1990s with reasonably priced, varietally labeled vins de pays. But this wine category evolved.
The vins de pays quality designation gave wine producers much more freedom to experiment with non-sanctioned blends and single varietal wines. Producers reveled in their ability for creative expression and often shrugged off the perceived higher-quality designation of AOC in order to produce more unique bottlings under the vins de pays umbrella.
Today, some high-quality, staggeringly elegant and balanced offerings are bottled as vins de pays and are selling for a song while those that opt for AOC status are often delivering a tantalizingly attractive quality to price ratio, at every price point.
The region is worth discovering. Yes, you can get lost in Septimanie. The names of the wine areas and some of the grapes are, perhaps, less familiar than others…but oh, the wine treasures you can find!
Picpoul (de Pinet) is touted as the next pinot grigio. The delicate, citrus/green apple-laced Cave de Pomerol version ($9) is a delight for summer sipping, but Domaine Felines-Jourdan 2010 ($16) puts a whole new spin on this delectable white. This tangy little lemon-drop hints of wet stone and oyster shell with a yeasty/straw flower finish. It is medium-bodied with a creamy texture despite its crisp acidity. Refreshing yet satisfying.
The Mas des Dames La Dame 2008 ($15) is liquid ribbon candy. This grenache/syrah/carignan blend is a study in balance and elegance. The flavors unfold as tobacco leaf, mushroom and black pepper wrapped within a deep blackberry fruit. S-m-o-o-t-h with a capital S.
Domaine d'Auplilhac Montpeyroux-Coteaux du Languedoc 2009 ($13) is a delicious blend of the five most important red grapes in Languedoc-Roussillon: grenache, carignan, cinsault, syrah and mourvedre. This is a savory little number with lots of black cherry fruit and a touch of sweet wood smoke.
Clos de l'Amandaie Huis Clos 2008-Gres de Montpellier ($18) tastes like a big, beefy coffee-rubbed T-bone grilled over vine clippings. There is a little char, a little smoke and a savory note with plenty of pepper. The tannins are suede-like in their supple firmness. This is a huge wine and big on flavor. Gusto in a glass.