IGP Côtes de Thau wines awarded at the Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge

I.G.P.

The protected geographical indication Côtes de Thau covers fifteen communes in the Hérault department, forming an amphitheater around the Étang de Thau, a large lagoon that separates the vineyards from the Mediterranean. The terrain is gentle, with an average altitude of around 50 metres and slopes rarely exceeding 5 percent. The soils are red to beige in colour, light in texture, ranging from sandy loam to sandy clay, with few stones and considerable depth. The lagoon moderates the Mediterranean climate: sea breezes reduce evaporation and limit summer water stress, for annual rainfall of around 600 millimetres. The historic grape variety is Terret Blanc, grown here since the seventeenth century; it is now joined by a wide range of varieties, including Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Viognier for white wines, and Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault and Syrah for red wines. Unusually for the Languedoc, white wine production predominates here.

The wines of this appellation

The appellation produces white, rosé and red wines. The whites, which predominate, show a pale, luminous golden colour; the palate opens on citrus notes and pronounced freshness, with a finish that turns lemony or exotic, sometimes touched with minerality, and good aromatic persistence. The rosés have a crystalline appearance, ranging from pale peach pink to violet highlights; a discreet nose of red fruit carries through to a lively, fresh attack, before a finish that can recall acid drops, with pleasant length. The reds show a deep red colour with intense highlights, a powerful nose of red fruit and garrigue, and a supple, fresh palate carried by ripe fruit. Thanks to their characteristic freshness, the white and rosé wines of Côtes de Thau pair particularly well with seafood and shellfish from the neighbouring lagoon, while the supple reds suit Mediterranean cuisine and grilled dishes.