Blanquette de Limoux

Blanquette de Limoux, a sparkling white wine, an appellation contrôlée since 1938.

The world’s first bubble

Blanquette de Limoux

In Roman times Livy already praised the white wines of Limoux. At that time, these were still wines. But in 1531 Limoux wines made history when the Benedictine monks at St Hilaire Abbey, a commune next to Limoux, south of the Medieval fortified city of Carcassonne, in the Pyrenean foothills, discovered the mutation of still wine into sparkling wine producing the world’s first sparkling wine … Blanquette de Limoux was born.

To obtain the delicate effervescence of Limoux wines today, a complex method is followed, one that is subtle and rigorous, the method referred to as traditional.. The grapes must be harvested by hand. Pale yellow in colour, shining with vivid green or yellow glints. Blanquette de Limoux, chilled slowly to 6 - 7°, it has lively bubbles. Its mischievous nose evokes fruit and spring flowers, green apples and honey. Blanquette de Limoux is dry and favours the traditional variety of the Cru, le Mauzac.

It can be served to accompany an entire meal. The extra dry version goes particularly well with local dishes, the medium dry with deserts and gets along beautifully with the warm aroma of chocolate. Have a taste and raise your glass whilst enjoying a regional culinary speciality such as truffle or cassoulet.

There are so many sites to explore whilst tasting this local wine, such as the Châteaux du Pays Cathares, the Abbaye St Hilaire, Carcassonne, the Canal du Midi, the mysteries of the Abbé Saunière.

Come and meet the “blanquettiers” and wine growers and discover the famous Banquette de Limoux.