Corbières AOC

Corbières is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) for wine in the Languedoc-Roussillon, France, and it is this region's largest AOC, responsible for 46 per cent of the region's AOC wine production in 2005. Red wine dominates the production in Corbières with almost 95 per cent, with 3.5 per cent rosé wine and 2 per cent white wine making up the balance. Carignan is the most common grape variety. The AOC was created in 1985, covers 13,500 hectares (33,000 acres) of vineyards and produces an average of 554,000 hectoliters of wine per year, corresponding to 74 million bottles.

Due to its size and geography, Corbières encompasses an enormous variety of soil types and microclimates. The wines from the region tend to be just as varied as the terroir. The region also experiences widely varied winds. The dry, Atlantic vent Cers frequently brings cold weather from the northwest while the area is normally under the influence of the warm, Mediterranean vent Marin.