chardonnay de limoux

This wine, which sparkled long before Dom Perignon turned the first bottle - meaning in 1544 - is produced in 42 communities in the area of Limoux in the Departement of the Aude located South-West of Carcassonne

The Blanquette de Limoux is vinificated from 90 % Mauzac grapes combined with Chardonnay and Chenin. The so-called Blanquettes à la méthode ancestrale is produced from 100 % Mauzac grapes. Blanquette is cultivated dry or semi-dry.



Crémant de Limoux
Strictly spoken, it all began with the Blanquette, this legendary sparkling wine of Limoux.
Well, the Blanquette being the world's oldest sparkling wine has its friends, but not enough friends, thus the winemakers of the local cooperative Sieur d'Arques started a few experiments, which resulted in an excellent Crémant de Limoux of which Stuart Pigott once said, he would prefer it to most of the Champagne.

The large portion of Chardonnay grapes and Chenin grapes give finesse to this Crémant.
Contrary to the Blanquette, the Crémant de Limoux comes up to highest expectations. This crémant is traditionally bottle fermented and is produced from the vines of Chardonnay (20 %), Chenin (20 % max.) and Mauzac. Since a few years, this cave is also producing outstanding blanc de blancs of Chardonnay grapes.

Chardonnay de Limoux

In the beginning of the eighties the Cooperative Sieur d'Arques again started an experiment - setting an example for the whole Languedoc-Roussillon vine growing region. The terroirs of the Departement Aude were explored by scientists, the various terroirs were defined and the quantities were limited. The best vine-dressers of the region were asked to plant Chardonnay vines and to take care of them in the same ways as the winemakers of Burgundy. These efforts, which took years, resulted in four very different terroirs: Autun, Océanique, Mediteranéen with Haute-Vallée being the star. The limited quantities result in concentrated grapes, which are fermented in small oak jars - barriques - the results being unique. Two jars of the best vine grower of each of the 42 villages participating are being auctioned and the profits are used to restore the Roman church towers of the region's ancient villages. Thus, resulting in the world-famous auction Toques & Clocher, which takes place each year in April, being attended by wine lovers, the great maîtres and professional wine tasters from all over the world. The prices for one of those Chardonnay jars amount to Euro 10.000 per jar, sometimes even more. The wines of the Haute-Vallée are those which are of Grand Cru quality. Mineralic wines of perfect balance, reaching the opulent bouquet of the greatest Chardonnays after four to five years. The climate in the vinegrowing region the A.O.C. Limoux is of dry, hot Mediterrenean influence in the Departement's Western region; in the Eastern regions it is influenced by a humid, moderate Atlantic climate and in the South at the foothills of the Pyrenees the climate is colder. The Mediterrenean climate is influcend by the Atlantic climate and the altitude. The altitude of the Limoux vineyards - 150 to 250 above main sea level - influences the growth of the vines and their grapes; the harvesting period differs for more than 3 weeks, depending on the altitude of the vineyard and the terroir it belongs to. The topography of this land beloved by the sun is unique, thus hill vineyards on lime soil predominate. A.O.C. classification since 1981 | Arable acreage: approx. 1000 hectars | Drinking temperature :8 to 10° | Storage period :the Chardonnays de Limoux may be stored up to 12 to 15 years!

Corbières - Fitou - Rivesaltes