AOC Coteaux du Languedoc, wines Pic Saint Loup Château La Roque
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‘Coteaux du Languedoc Pic St Loup' was created in 1985, with some constraints on production added in 1994.
The Pic St Loup area encompasses thirteen districts which spread up from the North Montpellier suburbs to the Gard Department. It consists of a limestone plateau (Hortus causse) and various peaks, the highest of which is the Pic St Loup; these are separated from one another by the Montferrand pass and a valley which was created by the fracture of the Corconne fault at the end of the Cretaceous period. Today this constitutes the main communication route through the region following a North-East, South-West orientation.
A little ‘foreign' soil has been introduced to the current appellation area, the only criteria being to enhance the quality of the wines.
Geographical location
A diamond shape 30 km long on 15 wide, the AOC of Pic St Loup leans against the foothills of the Cévennes in the North Montpellier garrigue zone 30 km away from the Mediterranean coast.
Apart from vines and olive trees, vegetation of the region consists of typically mediterranean, green oaks, kermes oaks, alep pines, arbutus and juniper, plus thyme, bay, cade, ciste, etc...
Although Pic St Loup at 658m and the Hortus at 520m dominate the area, the average altitude is only round 150m.