Picpoul de Pinet AOC and IGP Pays d'OcPicpoul Blanc, Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan, Syrah, VermentinoFounded 1983Jourdan familyWinemaker Claude JourdanPicpoul de Pinet
Reference Picpoul de Pinet producer on the Bassin de Thau at Meze, owned by the Jourdan family since 1983 and run by female winemaker Claude Jourdan, regularly placed in the Decanter top-Picpoul tastings.
Tasting: Cellar tastings Monday to Friday 8am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm by appointment
Signature wines: felines-jourdan-picpoul-classique, felines-jourdan-cuvee-particuliere, felines-jourdan-felinette
Tip: The basic Picpoul de Pinet is the gateway; the Cuvee Particuliere shows the upper-tier expression of the variety.
Picpoul de Pinet AOC and Languedoc Gres de Montpellier AOC and IGP Pays d'OcPicpoul Blanc, Vermentino, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, CarignanORGANIC CERTIFIEDPicpoul de Pinet
Picpoul de Pinet and Languedoc estate at Montagnac inland from the Bassin de Thau, with both a single-variety Picpoul de Pinet and the cellar-aged Bronzinelle flagship.
Tasting: Cellar tastings at Montagnac year-round
Signature wines: saint-martin-picpoul-de-pinet, saint-martin-bronzinelle, saint-martin-chateau-rouge
Tip: The Picpoul de Pinet is the appellation reference; Bronzinelle is the upper-tier Languedoc white that goes beyond the Picpoul style.
Picpoul de Pinet AOC and IGP Pays d'OcPicpoul Blanc, Picpoul Noir, Picpoul Gris, Cinsault, Syrah, GrenachePicpoul de Pinet
Picpoul specialist at Castelnau-de-Guers, the only estate vinifying Piquepoul in all three colours (Picpoul Blanc, Picpoul Gris and Picpoul Noir), housed in an 18th-century restored stable.
Tasting: Cellar tastings at Castelnau-de-Guers by appointment
Signature wines: grangette-la-part-des-anges, grangette-l-enfant-terrible, grangette-blanc-bleu
Tip: La Part des Anges (oak-fermented Picpoul) is the connoisseur's bottle; the rare Picpoul Noir red is a curiosity worth tasting at the cellar.
Picpoul de Pinet AOC and IGP Pays d'OcPicpoul Blanc, Cinsault, Syrah, GrenachePicpoul de Pinet
Picpoul de Pinet estate at Castelnau-de-Guers less than 10 km from the Mediterranean, exporting widely to the UK, US and Canadian markets and one of the most-distributed Picpoul names on the international shelf.
Tasting: Cellar tastings at Castelnau-de-Guers year-round
Signature wines: reine-juliette-picpoul-de-pinet, reine-juliette-terres-rouges
Tip: The basic Picpoul de Pinet is the export workhorse; the Terres Rouges Picpoul shows the cellar-aged style.
Limoux AOC and Cremant de Limoux AOCChardonnay, Pinot Noir, Mauzac, Chenin BlancFounded 2004Fort familyWinemaker Pierre FortLimoux
Limoux estate founded in 2004 by Marie-Claire and Pierre Fort at Roquetaillade in the Aude valley south of Carcassonne, working still Limoux Chardonnay and Cremant de Limoux from the Pyrenean foothills.
Tasting: Cellar tastings at Roquetaillade by appointment
Signature wines: mouscaillo-limoux-blanc, mouscaillo-cremant-de-limoux, mouscaillo-rouge
Tip: The still Limoux Chardonnay at altitude (Roquetaillade vines around 400 metres) cellars for 8 to 12 years; the Cremant is a smaller-production bottling.
Blanquette de Limoux AOC and Cremant de Limoux AOC and Limoux AOCMauzac, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot NoirAntech familyLimoux
Limoux family sparkling-wine house at Domaine de Flassian near Limoux, producing both Blanquette de Limoux (Mauzac-led) and Cremant de Limoux (Chardonnay-Chenin-Mauzac-Pinot Noir) under the Antech label.
Tasting: Cellar tour and tasting at the Flassian cellar Monday to Friday 8am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm
Signature wines: antech-cuvee-francoise, antech-cuvee-eugenie, antech-expression
Tip: Cuvee Francoise (Cremant) is the volume export; Cuvee Eugenie (Blanquette) is the traditional Mauzac sparkling that defines the appellation.
