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.
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: sieur-darques-premiere-bulle, sieur-darques-toques-et-clochers-chardonnay, sieur-darques-aimery
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: rives-blanques-odyssee-chardonnay, rives-blanques-occitania-mauzac, rives-blanques-dedicace-chenin
Tip: The single-variety trilogy (Odyssee Chardonnay, Occitania Mauzac, Dedicace Chenin) is the clearest tasting flight of the Limoux still whites.
