IGP Pays d’Hérault

The Hérault River, which gives its name to our wine-making region of “Pays d’Hérault”, travels along diverse types of soil, of which the most representative are: acid schist in hilltops, limestone in the wine-growing plateaus and plains, and pebbly, alluvial terraces.

This vast wine-making amphitheater, structured in terraces and hills, turns vitally toward the Mediterranean Sea, in the South of France in the heart of the Languedoc.

Situated in the South of France, bordering the Mediterranean coast, the Hérault department presents a great variety of different soil types, of which the most representative are: acid schist in hilltops, limestone in the wine-growing plateaus and plains, and pebbly, alluvial terraces. From the Cévennes Mountains and the Black Mountain to the coasts of the lagoons, the Pays d’Hérault, traversed by the river of the same name, forms a vast amphitheater turned toward the Mediterranean Sea. This combination benefits from a Mediterranean climate particularly suitable for wine-growing. The Marin wind, notably during the period of grape ripening, moderates the climatic extremes throughout the coastal zone. It’s also in this favorable climate that the two famous winds—the Mistral and the Tramontane, join together and add climatic nuances according to the exposure of the vineyards. In Hérault, the vines and the wines are therefore at the heart of activity for three-quarters of the rural villages in the department. At the heart of this historic, expansive wine-growing region, the strong establishment of expertise tied to the art of cultivating the vines and producing wine allowed for the development of an important network of scientific research centers and techniques dedicated to this sector. The wines produced are thus marked by fruity aromas, always present, even if their intensity and nature vary according to the grape varieties and technology used. For the red wines, extractions are used to obtain softly-structured tannins that are smooth and ripe. For the white wines and rosés, they are balanced excellently, preserving their freshness and fruitiness. Principally, these wines are destined to be consumed immediately. The Pays d’Hérault IGP produces about 900,000 hl per year in the whole department of Hérault, and therefore benefits from a large distribution throughout France.

Grape varieties: Cabernet-Sauvignon, Carignan, Chardonnay, Cinsault, Grenache, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Pinot, Sauvignon, Syrah.

Important numbers

Average yield: 65-70 hl/ha

http://www.paysdherault.fr/Les_vins_IGP/FR-4-IGP_Pays_dHerault