Blanquette de Limoux, French Sparkling Wine
Celebration Wine from Languedoc in the South of France
Oct 1, 2009
Blanquette de Limoux, the original French sparkling wine, comes from the upper valley of the Aude on the edge of Languedoc. The Limoux vineyards grow on south facing slopes which enjoy plenty of sunshine, sufficient rain from the Pyrenees and sea breezes from both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. The stony soil is just right for wine growing and quality is guaranteed by the AOC label.
Blanquette de Limoux, Original French Sparkling Wine
According to records, the world’s first sparkling wine dates back to 1531 when the monks of St Hilaire Abbey near Limoux discovered the technique quite by chance. They left their wine to mature in corked glass flasks instead of oak vats and watched in wonder as the first bubbles appeared. Soon, the ‘little white’ wine held pride of place in celebrations, toasting the return of victorious knights from far away lands.
Champagne didn’t arrive until 150 years later when another monk, Dom Pérignon, visited Limoux and smuggled the secret back to northern France. Champagne took over the world but for savvy connoisseurs, the cool golden Blanquette from Languedoc has a unique appeal. It’s refined, affordable and perfect for every occasion.
Languedoc Wine, Blanquette de Limoux
To ensure top quality, Blanquette production is restricted to roughly 40 villages around Limoux, with grapes harvested by hand to avoid damage. The main grape is Mauzac, often grown organically, to which Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc are added.
Three types of Blanquette are produced. The traditional Blanquette is a blend of basic French wines and other vintages, with a second fermentation in the bottle, Champagne style, and the addition of the estate’s secret liqueur. The Vin de Blanquette is made exclusively from Mauzac grapes with natural fermentation and minimum technology. It is always bottled during the March full moon.
The Crémant de Limoux created in 1990 allows growers greater flexibility, with 40-70% Chardonnay grapes and varying proportions of Chenin Blanc, Mauzac and sometimes a little Pinot Noir.
Blanquette de Limoux, Celebration Wine from the South of France
The Blanquette de Limoux is widely acclaimed in the south of France and beyond and was a favourite of Thomas Jefferson, third president of the USA, who kept a special reserve in his Monticello cellars.
This distinguished AOC wine should be served cool in a fluted glass, either as a dessert wine, an aperitif in its own right or with a dash of blackcurrant liqueur. It is a popular choice in Languedoc for business and family receptions and goes equally well with chocolate cake or savoury canapés.
Best drunk within two years, Blanquette and Crémant come as dry or medium with roughly 12º alcohol and a bouquet of apple, honey and spring flowers and fruit. The sweet Limoux wine, Vin de Blanquette, has lots of bubbles, a lower alcohol content and a fragrant aroma of peach blossom and apricot.
 |
 |
