The wine in Languedoc and Roussillon | Genevieve Gavignaud-Fontaine, Gilbert Larguier

Authors: Geneviève Gavignaud-Fontaine, Gilbert Larguier Languedoc and Roussillon are ancient lands of vineyards and wine. By the end of the Middle Ages, vineyards were everywhere, complementing the staple cereal crops. Three centuries later, the shores of the Gulf of Lion became the world's leading vineyard. This deeply original transformation is a result of exchanges. It began at the end of the 17th century with access by sea to the markets of Northern Europe. By the end of the following century, all the characteristics of southern viticulture were in place: the adaptability of traditional land structures to increasing production, the dynamics of the international market, the development of related activities, attention to quality, and scholarly and practical research on wine. In the 19th century, wine became the cornerstone of the regional economy. Crises of significant magnitude, in proportion to the importance of vineyards and wine, marked the relations between production and markets until the 1970s. Priority was then given to quality to ensure the future. Changes in consumption and marketing, as well as the growth of production outside of Europe, are currently posing new challenges - they are in line with those faced by southern viticulture since its entry into the international market. Publisher: TRABUCAIRE (2007) 16x24 cm, 306 pages, paperback.