Cité de Carcassonne: Les Hauts de Lalande Red

The Languedoc, though often referred to loosely as a single entity, is not a wine appellation in its own right but a broad Mediterranean region encompassing a wealth of individual appellations. Traditionally, labels carried the specific titles of Languedoc AOC and its numerous sub-regions, from Corbières and Minervois to Pic Saint-Loup and Faugères. Since January 2016, the historic Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées regions have been administratively merged into Occitanie, France's newest region. Stretching along the coast from the Rhône towards the Spanish border, the Languedoc is one of France's largest and most diverse wine-producing areas.

Translates as the 'City of Carcassonne', an IGP located around the historic fortified city in the Languedoc, in south-west France. The area is home to over 25 winemakers, working the gravel and limestone terraces along the Aude valley in a Mediterranean climate tempered by cooler Atlantic influences. The reds, made chiefly from varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet, and Syrah, are typically deep in colour with smooth, fruity notes, while the region also produces fresh whites and rosés. Approachable and well balanced, these are characterful, easy-drinking wines.