You never forget your first … wine travel
Where did your first international wine travel take you? Bordeaux? Tuscany? Germany’s Mosel? Many wine lovers choose the classics first. Not me!
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I’ll never forget my first wine trip, although it was distinctly not one of the classics: My destination was Languedoc-Roussillon, a sunny, historic Mediterranean stretch that runs along the Mediterranean and nearby mountains from the Rhône to the Pyrenees. It’s beautiful, but especially in those days, it was not traditionally listed among France’s leading wine lands.
What did I know? I wasn’t a wine writer yet, and my knowledge of the subject was limited at best. I was there as a reporter for the now sadly defunct Louisville Times, following our city’s mayor on what he called a trade mission but that felt more like a junket to our French sister city, Montpellier. Much to my pleased surprise, a major Languedoc wine festival was going on in the city at that time. Sure, there were hours of extended formalities involving gentlemen in fancy clothes with colorful sashes and lots of medals.
But there were also endless lines of winery booths staffed with winemakers and winery workers, ready to dispense tastes and information. Their English was workable; my French, not so much. But I learned a lot in a very short time, and came back home with a vastly expanded interest in wine.
Vineyards at Le Soula in the Pays d’Oc. Image from Decanter article, Understanding IGP Pays d’Oc.
I certainly liked the artisanal bottlings that I tried at the Montpellier fair. But wines from this region – one of the largest wine-growing areas in France – got little respect from serious wine enthusiasts, I soon learned.
It took me a while to figure out why Languedoc wines were so lightly regarded, but there was a fairly good reason: At the time, the French region’s sun-baked vineyards – much like California’s Central Valley – were over-planted, over-cropped, and squeezed dry of every drop of grape juice that could be industrially vinified into cheap, everyday table wine. The Languedoc (also known to mapmakers, if not to wine lovers, as the Midi) was regarded as the primary source of France’s vast lake of vin ordinaire. But serious wine? It is to laugh!
But times have changed, at least a little, and if Languedoc still trails Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhône, the Loire, and Alsace in most ratings-point chases, it is certainly no longer laughable to assert that fine and even excellent wines can be made there.
This week’s featured wine, Gérard Bertrand “Naturae” Cabernet Sauvignon Pays d’Oc, is a very good example.
Billed as certified organic and vegan and made with no added sulfites, it might sound like a product for a health-food shop. In fact, though, this dark reddish-purple wine is balanced, appealing, and will serve well on any table. Because it’s Cabernet Sauvignon, a grape variety not traditionally used in most parts of Languedoc, it bears the IGP designation Pays d’Oc rather than the Languedoc appellation.
Often available at U.S. retailers in the upper teens, it’s a relative bargain in comparison with wines of similar quality from, say, Burgundy or Bordeaux.
Memories of that trip … mostly the wine-related parts – are still with me. And I’ll bet your wine-trip memories are still with you, too. Stop by and tell us about your first wine-travel experiences in Substack Chat!
Today’s Tasting Report
Gérard Bertrand 2022 “Naturae” Cabernet Sauvignon Pays d’Oc ($17.99)
Gérard Bertrand “Naturae” Cabernet Sauvignon Pays d’Oc shows an attractive dark reddish-purple in color. Fresh, clean aromas of blackberries and plums and a hint of dried herbs don’t say “Cabernet” in a loud voice, but they clearly reflect the style of Languedoc-Roussillon in a balanced, appealing wine that will serve well on any table. Good black-fruit flavors and a whiff of white pepper elevate a firm, acidic structure, with mild tannic astringency joining a long finish. 13% alcohol. U.S. importer: Gerard Bertrand USA, Sausalito, Calif. (Oct. 25, 2025)
FOOD MATCH: The producer suggests serving it with marinades or eggplant and tomato gratin. It worked nicely for us with stuffed green peppers from the garden; and of course, would match with lamb chops, steaks, and other red meat.
WHEN TO DRINK: Kept under good conditions there should be no rush to drink it, but I don’t see it as a candidate for cellaring.
VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com’s $22 average U.S. retail price is misleading, apparently thrown off by vendors offering overpriced bottles in case lots. It’s widely available under $20, making it a fine value.
WEB LINK:
Here’s the producer’s fact sheet.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Gérard Bertrand “Naturae” Cabernet Sauvignon on Wine-Searcher.com.
Follow this Wine-Searcher link to read about Pays d’Oc, the IGP for red, white, and rosé wines made in a large area on the southern coast of France roughly corresponding to the
Languedoc-Roussillon wine region.
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Good wines we’ve tried under $10.99!
Want tips to find more good, inexpensive wines? Here are Wine-Searcher links to vendors and prices for a bunch more wines for $10.99 or less that I’ve told you about in recent years. In some cases, the prices may have risen over the $10.99 mark since I reviewed them, but they should still be excellent bargains. Please tell us about your favorites!
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First overseas wine trip? Alsace and Germany in fall 2003 after the heat wave broke. Alsace was not so good. The political/social mess of. 2003 (remember Freedom Fries?) was still in full swing, and we were greeted less than coolly at Weinbach, despite our long standing appointment. Germany was much better, with winemakers very welcoming, and long (!) visits that often necessitated rescheduling later appointments.