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: Limoux Blanc, Crémant de Limoux Brut Nature, Pinot Noir Haute Vallée de l'Aude
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: Brut Nature Blanquette de Limoux, Cuvée Eugénie Crémant de Limoux Extra Brut, Legacy Extra Brut Crémant de Limoux
Tip: Cuvee Francoise (Cremant) is the volume export; Cuvee Eugenie (Blanquette) is the traditional Mauzac sparkling that defines the appellation.
Blanquette de Limoux AOC and Cremant de Limoux AOC and Limoux AOCMauzac, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot NoirFounded 1946270 grower cooperative membersLimoux
Limoux's largest sparkling-wine cooperative, founded in 1946 and now representing roughly 1,200 hectares of vineyard across 270 grower members, producing Blanquette de Limoux, Cremant de Limoux and the auction-only Toques et Clochers terroir-Chardonnay range.
Tasting: Cellar tour and tasting at the Limoux cooperative cellar year-round
Signature wines: Première Bulle Blanquette de Limoux, Toques et Clochers Terroir Haute-Vallée, Toques et Clochers Crémant de Limoux Brut
Tip: The Toques et Clochers terroir series (auctioned annually in spring) is the cellar's prestige Chardonnay range; Premiere Bulle is the volume Cremant.
Limoux AOC and Cremant de Limoux AOC and Blanquette de Limoux AOCChardonnay, Mauzac, Chenin Blanc, Pinot NoirPanman familyORGANIC CERTIFIEDLimoux
Limoux estate at Cepie south of Carcassonne run by the Dutch-British Panman family, certified organic and bottling the three Limoux white grapes (Chardonnay, Mauzac, Chenin) as single-variety wines under the Trilogie series (Odyssee, Occitania, Dedicace).
Tasting: Cellar tastings at Cepie by appointment
Signature wines: Odyssée Chardonnay, Occitania Mauzac, Dédicace Chenin Blanc
Tip: The single-variety trilogy (Odyssee Chardonnay, Occitania Mauzac, Dedicace Chenin) is the clearest tasting flight of the Limoux still whites.
Limoux AOC and Cremant de Limoux AOC and IGP Pays d'OcChardonnay, Pinot Noir, Mauzac, Chenin BlancGerard BertrandDemeter CertifiedORGANIC CERTIFIEDLimoux
Limoux estate at Roquetaillade in the Pyrenean foothills, founded by Jean-Louis Denois in the 1980s, then owned by Antonin Rodet, then acquired by Gerard Bertrand in 2007, with biodynamic certification on the wines under the current ownership.
Tasting: Cellar tastings at Roquetaillade in the Gerard Bertrand visit programme
Signature wines: Aigle Royal Chardonnay, Domaine de l'Aigle Pinot Noir, Domaine de l'Aigle Chardonnay
Tip: Aigle Royal Chardonnay is the upper-tier still Limoux Chardonnay and a Decanter-favoured cool-climate Languedoc white.
La Clape AOC and IGP Pays d'OcSyrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan, Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne96 haSaint-Exupery familyLa Clape
La Clape historic estate at Salles-d'Aude on the limestone massif between Narbonne and the sea, 96 hectares run by the Saint-Exupery family across five generations, with both reds and Bourboulenc-led whites under the La Clape PDO.
Tasting: Cellar tastings and on-site accommodation at the chateau at Salles-d'Aude
Signature wines: Pech Celeyran La Clape Rouge, Pech Celeyran La Clape Blanc
Tip: The La Clape blanc is the bottle to taste here, a Bourboulenc-led coastal white with the iodine signature unique to the massif.
