IGP Cité de Carcassonne French wine appellation guide: location, history, wines, climate & soil
IGP Cité de Carcassonne is a small protected geographical indication surrounding the famous medieval walled city of Carcassonne, producing generous, sun-ripened reds, fresh rosés and some whites.
More info about IGP Cité de Carcassonne
Geographic position
Southern France, in the Aude department of Languedoc, around the city of Carcassonne, at the crossroads between the Atlantic-influenced west and the Mediterranean east, near the Malepère, Cabardès and Corbières vineyards.
Origin & history
Vines have grown here since Roman times, when Carcassonne guarded the road between the Mediterranean and Aquitaine. The Vin de Pays de la Cité de Carcassonne was recognised in 1987, and it became an IGP in 2009, using the image of the UNESCO-listed citadel.
Wines & grape varieties
Mostly red and rosé. Bordeaux grapes (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc) meet Mediterranean ones (Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault); whites use Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier.
Climate & soil
A meeting of oceanic and Mediterranean climates, with the drying Cers wind. Clay-limestone slopes, sandstone and alluvial terraces of the Aude river.
Wine region: Languedoc-Roussillon
Grape varieties: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Chardonnay, Cinsault, Grenache Noir, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Viognier