Faugères is a small, but significant, wine producing area in the Languedoc, comprised of seven villages and two hamlets. Situated to the north west of Béziers against the foothills of the Cévennes, the region is protected from the north winds and many of the vineyards are on steep slopes facing south towards the Mediterranean.
The Greeks first established vines in southwest France, and these vineyards were tended and increased by the Romans. In medieval times the Church played an important role in maintaining vineyards and producing wine; most monasteries grew vines on their lands. Much later came developments to allow wines to be transported beyond the region – first the Canal du Midi in the 17th century increased local transport and in the 19th century the railways carried the wines to the industrial regions of the north.
This was also the time of vineyard development, with awareness of the qualities of different varietals and the differences between wines produced from the hill regions and those from the plains. At that time the Languedoc was known more for eau de vie than its wines, and even though Faugères is not on the plains its early reputation was based on its eau de vie.
It was granted an Appellation Contrôlée for red and rosé wines in 1982, one of the earliest in the Coteaux du Languedoc. White was added to the AC in 2005. Faugères stands on schist, a thin, slaty soil more suited to vines than to other crops. The poor soil gives low yields and is a significant contributor to the concentration, fragrance and minerality of the wines. The principal grape varieties specified for red Faugères are Grenache noir, Mourvèdre and Syrah, and the wine should contain at least two varieties. For the white wines the principal varieties are Grenache blanc, Marsanne, Roussane and Rolle and again two varieties should be present in the wine.
Rosemary George gives an overview of the history and development of wine growing and production in the Languedoc and then focuses on Faugères, the viticulture and wine-making. About a third of the growers are organic, some biodynamic, and natural winemaking is increasing. The main part of the book is a guide to the fifty-odd winemakers (including the co-op), village by village. The author’s interviews with each of the winemakers over some years give a clear picture of the life and working methods of the winemakers, the varietals they prefer, and of developments in the vineyard and the cellar.
Some domains belong to families who have made wine in Faugères for generations, others to incomers from overseas and elsewhere in France who have recognised the potential of the terroir of Faugères and the opportunity to make high-quality wines there. She sums up by comparing the opinion of a local winemaker who values the appellation and feels the whole community benefits from it, with that of some newcomers, who feel that many growers ‘do not appreciate that they are sitting on a gold mine, …and are merely maintaining the status quo. … They do not realise just how great Faugères is and that it has the potential to be one of the best appellations in the Languedoc, if not in the whole of France’.
The book has sufficient detail for the committed wine enthusiast and the lively, engaging tone makes the book accessible to the general reader, particularly one travelling in southwest France, with an interest in visiting vineyards and tasting good local wines. It is also a useful guide to buying the wines of Faugères elsewhere, although sadly there are not many to be found in the UK.