Languedoc white wines: 5 Corbières appellation wines to discover
Corbières, located in the Aude department, is the largest appellation d'origine contrôlée in Languedoc, with almost 9,000 hectares of vines. Red wines predominate, but many winemakers are also producing increasingly high-quality white wines.
Corbières white wines account for barely 5% of the production of this large PDO, created in 1985, yet almost all winemakers offer them, and often several cuvées.The range of grape varieties is varied: white grenache, roussanne, marsanne, macabeu, the newcomer viognier and, above all, the most popular lately, rolle (also known as vermentino in Corsica). The diversity of terroirs and grape varieties, combined with the personal touch of each winemaker, means that white wines can range from light and fresh to round and full-bodied.
The importance of the winemaker
Winegrowers are an integral part of the notion of terroir: "With global warming and, above all, drought, it's the work in the vineyard and winemaking techniques that are taking over in the quest for freshness," explains Christophe Gualco, president of the Corbières PDO communications committee. "In 2023, with a very hot end to August, we can still find white wines with a lot of freshness. We had to be precise about the harvest date. The estates harvested earlier, at night, at low temperatures. Anticipation was the key to this vintage".
Christophe Gualco is also winemaker at Château Etang de Colombes, and is part of the fourth generation to exercise this profession in the family. He notes that around him, the new generations from the family estates, but also the neo-winegrowers or the new directors of the cooperative wineries, are "younger, more dynamic, more open-minded, with more modern techniques ". Now " responsible for their own marketing, they are more in tune with the market".
DR
5 Corbières appellation wines to discover
After Boutenac, the Corbières PDO has submitted 5 Dénominations Géographiques Contrôlées (DGC) projects to the INAO: Terrasses de Lézignan, Montagne d'Alaric, Terroir de Lagrasse, Corbières-Durban and Port Mahon. The latter DGC would also like to extend its range to white wines, thanks to its maritime location, which gives them a truly saline profile. Faced with growing consumption of white wines, the appellation intends to meet demand. Its credo? Lively and dynamic. Here are a few examples to taste.
Corbières Le blanc, Domaine de Sainte-Johannès, 2023
Tasting notes: Located on the Lézignan terroir, the estate is run by ESAT Les 3 Terroirs. This is a fresh wine. Full of fruit, with lovely peach and pear aromas and a touch of vanilla that also gives it fullness. On the palate, the wine is round and well-balanced, with a chalky finish that lends it elegance. Superb value for money. Ideal with baked fish.
- Score : 93/100
- Price: 6.90 euros
- www.esat-ea.apajh11.fr
Corbières Le Blanc de l'œuf, Mas des Caprices, 2023
Tasting notes: Children of Alsatian winemakers, Mireille and Pierre Mann of Mas des Caprices produce a beautiful white wine in the style of the Corbières Maritimes. Full of greed and pleasant substance, it is produced biodynamically. Flattering thanks to its fruity, iodized aromas, it's a lively wine that's perfect for any occasion: aperitif, barbecued sardines, goat's cheese...
- Score : 92/100
- Price : 15 euros
- www.mas-des-caprices.com
Corbières Fraîcheur, Terroirs du Vertige, 2023
Tasting notes: This cooperative winery, comprising 170 winegrowers, owes its name to its steep hillsides. Nearly 900 hectares of vines cling to the Hautes Corbières terroir, west of Narbonne. The name of this cuvée perfectly expresses this wine. The aromas are airy, with floral, aniseed and lemon notes. On the palate, it's light, recalling lemony notes combined with a touch of pineapple. The perfect aperitif wine.
- Score : 92/100
- Price: 6.45 euros
- www.terroirsduvertige.com
Corbières Les Jumelles, Château de Luc, 2022
Tasting notes: Produced by the Fabre family, the organically grown grapes are harvested at night to preserve their freshness. The wine is then aged in barrel to add fullness and complexity. The nose reveals a refined bouquet of citrus (orange), spices (curry, ginger) and roasting. The palate is powerful, with woody but also floral aromas. Serve with firm-fleshed barbecued fish.
- Score : 91/100
- Price: 10.80 euros
- www.famillefabre.com
Corbières La Font Blanche, Château de Caraguilhes, 2022
Tasting notes: The Boutenac terroir is famous for its red wines, but here Château de Caraguilhès presents a gastronomic white wine. Its blend of roussanne, grenache blanc and rolle, part of which is vinified in barrels, gives it great complexity with its woody, mineral and yellow fruit notes. On the palate, it's both powerful and charming, retaining its delicacy with floral and vegetal touches (fennel). A perfect accompaniment to white meats.
- Score : 90/100
- Price: 13 euros
- www.caraguilhes.fr
The range of Corbières white wines is now increasingly qualitative and broad, from aperitif wines to gourmet wines. You're bound to find an occasion to sample a bottle.
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Should we trust the medals on the bottles?
On a supermarket shelf, similar-looking bottles of wine are lined up at slightly contrasting prices. Without a salesperson, in a time-constrained food shopping area, a sticker placed like a jewel cuts through the act of purchasing. Gold, silver or bronze medals flash more brightly than a label that's not always easy to decipher. Award-winning wine, featured wine An award-winning wine is one that has been presented by the winery at one of the 127 competitions that award these precious badges (in 2024, according to the DGCCRF). The famous Concours Général Agricole, founded in 1870, the world's best Chardonnay or Sauvignon competitions, the Brittany or Mâcon wine competitions, the Millésime Bio challenge... There's an embarrassment of riches to choose from, with no limit on participation, but not without a heavy hand in the wallet. For each cuvée entered, you'll need to pay between 10 and 150 euros, depending on the competition, not including postage and packaging costs and the purchase of macaroons in the event of victory. Attractive spin-offs A potentially interesting calculation, given the commercial visibility these awards bring. In the year following the award, sales of the vintage tend to increase by between 20% and 40%. A boon for the estate, event organizers and supermarkets alike. All the more so as the medals are pouring in. In 2025, at the Concours Général Agricole, of the 12129 wines entered, 3361 were awarded medals, almost half of them gold. French legislation prohibits the awarding of more than a third of the samples presented. A quota with which most competitions flirt. Amateur jury Who awards these accolades? A volunteer jury, at their own expense. Mostly amateurs. The great need for people leaves little room for rigor or traceability. In 2025, at the Concours Général Agricole, over 7,000 people were needed to taste charcuterie, cheeses, jams and wines. At this year's Chardonnay du Monde competition, more than 300 jurors took part, with a limit of 20 samples per person. The most famous estates, which don't need to boost their sales, tend to neglect these competitions. Artisanal wineries, on the other hand, may shy away from these competitions as a matter of distinction, since the shiny stickers are associated with supermarkets. A place where it takes the place of good professional advice. A wine merchant, for example, capable of selling the uniqueness of a cuvée he has followed over the years.Our partners
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