Clairette du Languedoc AOC is a relatively small production white wine from an area north east of Pézenas, between Pézenas and Clermont L’Hérault in the Languedoc region of France. Somewhat confusingly there exist three distinct iterations: a dry white, a fortified Vin de liqueur, and a rancio. The dry version is described as ‘a dull and dispiriting dry white by Hugh Johnson (Wine Companion: 1991, p.219).

Communes: Adissan. | Aspiran. | Le Bosc. | Cabrières. | Ceyras. | Fontès. | Lieuran-Cabrières. | Nizas. | Paulhan. | Péret. | Saint-André-de-Sangonis.

Vineyard area & wine production: 1988 12,096hl from 400 hectares (Clive Coates MW: 1990, p.370-371).

Wines

Clairette du Languedoc AOC Blanc: This can be ‘an ultra-modern, early-picked, yellowish green, dry wine for drinking almost before the end of the year in which it was harvested,’ (Oxford Companion to Wine: 2006, p.172).

Clairette du Languedoc AOC Rancio: A still rancio. 

Clairette du Languedoc AOC VDN: Vin de liqueur.