The Coteaux du Languedoc appellation encompasses three departments : the Aude, the Hérault and the Gard, covering 50,000 ha (123,500 acres) of which 22,000 (54,500 acres) are planted, and 11,500 (28,500 acres) in production.

Geographically, it takes in 168 communes stretching along the Mediterranean coastline, from Narbonne in the west, to the borders of the Camargue in the east, ranging inland to the slopes of the Black Mountain and the Cevennes range. What makes this Appellation area so special is the huge diversity of terroirs and countryside. From the sheer white cliffs of La Clape, via the mysterious Isle du Lac dominating the Mediterranean south of Narbonne, through to the foot of the spectacular Pic St Loup, it is the huge variations in the Coteaux du Languedoc that make it such a joy. The soft hills of Picpoul de Pinet drop down to the Thau Lagoon; closer to Montpellier there’s the stony, pebble covered soil of Saint Georges d'Orques and la Méjanelle; nearby, the rocky vineyards of the Clairette du Languedoc …. The climate is special too, influenced by the combination of contrasting weather conditions by the Mediterranean coast in the south, and the mountain ranges in the north. Overall, however, it is a Mediterranean climate, where the hot season is also dry – an ideal combination for ensuring grapes reach full maturity.

There are two distinct poles : west-east, south-north

To the west, there is a corridor between the Black Mountain and the Pyrenees which acts as a funnel for the ocean winds. Known as the “Cers”, as it loses its moisture it becomes the “Tramontane”. From the opposite direction, the marine south and south-east winds become the “Autan” as they lose their humidity.

To the east, as the gap narrows between the Cevennes, the Ardèche mountains and the Alps, the north wind picks up speed, dries up and becomes the “Mistral”. A mass of humid air comes in from the south and south-east, dropping as rain when it reaches the Cevennes.

Between the two is an area partially sheltered from the northern influences by the Black Mountain and the Cevennes. Stretching from the Aude valley to that of the Vidourle, it’s not only the hottest region, but the one most prone to heavy rainfall.

The north-south axis starts at the coast and finishes up against the foothills of the Massif Central; it can be divided into three distinct  areas :

The coastal plain,
Garrigue covered hillsides,
Mountainous foothills.

As far as climate is concerned, there are three distinct regions identifiable by their outlook and strength of the main winds :

The land of the Cers or the Tramontane (the Black Mountain and the Pyrenees)
Regions sheltered from the north and north-west winds (the Aude and Vidourle)
Regions affected by the Mistral (hillsides and Cévennes)