Abbotts & Delauny Viognier Les Fleurs Sauvages, 2023

The Languedoc forms the northern part of France's largest wine-growing region, Languedoc-Roussillon. Located between Roussillon in the south and Provence and the Rhône in the east, the region encompasses the three departments of Gard, Hérault, and Aude. With a total vineyard area of ​​approximately 200,000 hectares, it is almost twice the size of the entire German wine-growing area. Of this, around three-quarters are designated as IGP (regional wines), and one-quarter are designated as AOP (quality wines). The 200-km-long coastal strip is characterized by lower alluvial soils toward the Rhône, and by the foothills of the Pyrenees and their slate and limestone soils in the south. The climate is Mediterranean, and the main grape varieties are Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, and Syrah for red wine, and Viognier, Ugni Blanc, and Chardonnay for white wine. Important appellations include Corbières, the largest in the Languedoc; Minervois, one of the oldest in France; and Costières de Nimes. This now belongs to the Rhône region, as it is more typical of Rhône wines, although the local wines are attributed to the Languedoc. With Blanquette de Limoux, the Languedoc boasts the oldest sparkling wine appellation in the world. Dom Pérignon became acquainted with sparkling wines on a pilgrimage to the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Hilaire. This is considered the initial spark for the development of Champagne.