The Montagnac cellar was created in 1937 and has grown with vineyards stretching over 7 communes all along the Thau lake in the mountainous foothills of Hérault. Around 2,000 hectares are vinified on 2 different sites, a major part of which is located on clay-limestone soils with some pockets of marl as well. The climate is Mediterranean, dry and hot during summer, but more temperate due to it’s proximity to the sea.

Languedoc-Roussillon, stretching along France’s Mediterranean coast, is one of the country’s largest and most diverse wine regions. Known for its sunshine-rich climate, with hot, dry summers and mild winters, the area is ideal for grape growing. The region benefits from varied soils—limestone, clay, schist, and gravel—contributing complexity and character to its wines.

Traditionally a volume-focused region, Languedoc-Roussillon has undergone a quality revolution in recent decades. Today, it produces expressive, terroir-driven wines across a wide spectrum of styles. Red blends dominate, featuring Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Carignan. These wines are typically full-bodied with ripe black fruit, spice, garrigue (wild herb) notes, and earthy undertones. Whites, made from grapes like Picpoul, Grenache Blanc, and Marsanne, offer fresh acidity and citrus, stone fruit, or floral flavours.

The region is also known for crisp Picpoul de Pinet, aromatic Muscat, and traditional method sparkling wines from Limoux—the latter believed to predate Champagne. Roussillon, with its Catalan influence, excels in fortified sweet wines (vins doux naturels) like Banyuls and Maury, rich with dried fruit, chocolate, and nutty flavours.

Picpoul de Pinet is the flagship white of the central Languedoc, drawn exclusively from Piquepoul Blanc vines rooted around the Étang de Thau lagoon, west of Montpellier. The Mediterranean climate is warm and sun-drenched, yet moderated by cooling sea breezes and the tramontane wind, which keeps canopies dry and disease pressure low. Soils are mainly limestone and sandy, gravelly terraces with pockets rich in fossilised shells, lending a distinctly saline, mineral edge.

Piquepoul is late-ripening and naturally high in acidity—hence its nickname “lip-stinger”. It thrives on well-drained calcareous sites where careful canopy management preserves aromatics and avoids sunburn. Thin skins make it sensitive to powdery mildew and botrytis in humid spells, and drought stress can be a challenge in hotter, drier vintages, so balanced yields and vigilant vineyard work are key.

While its spiritual home is Pinet, small plantings of Piquepoul have spread to southern France beyond the appellation and to experimental sites in the United States and Australia, where producers prize its freshness in warm climates.

The style is typically crisp, bright and unoaked, fermented in stainless steel to showcase purity. Expect zesty lemon and lime, green apple and pear, white blossom and fennel, with a mouth-watering saline snap and clean, dry finish. Texturally it is light to medium-bodied, with moderate alcohol and a refreshing, maritime feel. Picpoul de Pinet is made for seafood—oysters and shellfish in particular—offering a compelling mix of coastal vibrancy, mineral poise and excellent value.