Wines from Corbières

This large region gained its Appellation status in 1985, and presently covers around 34,000 hectares, predominantly to red wines which today account for around 95% of all production. Grape varieties are high yielding Carignan, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache, with small amount of Merlot, Cabernet and Cinsault amongst many, many others. The topography of Corbières, snaking into the high mountain passed slashed with deep gorges and plateaus makes this one of the wildest vineyard landscapes in France, home of the Cathars and now producing richly rewarding exotic reds, alongside industrial quantities of everyday wines. The climate is wedged between the wet cold winds of the North west and the dry heat of the southern Mediterranean.