Not so long ago the 'Languedoc' was synonymous with 'wine lake'. Huge quantities of wine were produced in this southern region of France, stretching from Perpignan to Nimes, and nearly all of it was deeply mediocre. There were historical reasons for this, in particular the planting in the nineteenth century of the plains with two grape varieties; the Alicante and the Aramon. On the clay and alluvial soils of the flatlands, once home to cereal production, these two varieties produced astonishing quantities of wine, up to 20,000 litres per hectare. The uplands soon followed suit and before long the wine lake of the Languedoc had become established.

Since the 1960s some far-seeing producers and government agencies set about addressing the problem. It takes as much spadework in the vineyard to make bad wine as it does to make good wine, and rising labour costs meant that somehow quantity had to be replaced with quality that could be sold at a better price. The first step was replanting the vineyards with new and better varieties like Carignan, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Cabernet Sauvignon. This was a slow process, as each variety had to be matched to the myriad soil types and microclimates of the region. The various areas of production had to be re-defined, not by the old system of parish or commune boundaries, but rather by the viticultural variables.

Forty years of this ongoing work to improve the wines of the region has led to this area now being an exciting one to explore for the oenophile. There's a huge range of wines and styles, from the better known appellations like Minervois and Corbieres, to little jewels like the unfortunately named 'La Clape' as well as succulent dessert wines. It's unfortunate for the consumer that the improvements haven't been consistent right across the board, so it's important either to inform yourself well, or to put your trust in a specialist before buying.

The wonderfully named Bubble Brothers, who started in Cork as specialists in Champagne, have now extended their range to include the Languedoc and they list some remarkable wines including a Bandol Domaine Galantin, which has been highly praised by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. If you're on the Net you can check out their range at www.bubblebrothers.com, or if not you can find them in Cork in the English Market, or in Georges Street in Dun Laoghaire.

Wine of the Week

Viognier Domaine Fontenelles 2000

The viognier grape is a personal favourite of mine and this varietal shows how complex a wine it can make. It has a strong and pleasing aroma with rich white fruit flavours. Refreshing and fruity on the palate with a long and elegant finish.

Available from Bubble Brothers, at £8.95