Quatourze is a tiny 'terroir' of the Languedoc AOC, located immediately south of Narbonne town and immediately west of the much-respected La Clape sub-region. Because Quatourze is an officially recognized terroir, its name may be appended as part of the Languedoc appellation title, giving Languedoc Quatourze. The Quatourze name is well respected, but is certainly not as famous as its larger neighbor, La Clape, which is home to some of the Languedoc's most respected producers.
© Wikimedia/Pedros Szekely
Quatourze's red wines are produced from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre grapes, sometimes with support from their rustic cousins Carignan and Cinsaut.
Wedged between the town of Narbonne to the north and the Etang de Bages lagoon to the south, Quatourze covers a tiny area of vineyards, just over a mile from side to side. This is bound in the west by the A9 highway (which connects Narbonne with Montpellier and ultimately the Rhone Valley) and in the east by the rail tracks that skim down the coastline into Roussillon (where it passes through the sweet-wine regions of Rivesaltes and Banyuls). It was the arrival of this railway line that connected the vineyards in this area with the markets of northern France, contributing significantly to the success of Languedoc and Roussillon as a wine region. Nowhere was this more true than in the vast Corbieres appellation, which lies immediately west of Quatourze.
The southern French coast and the Mediterranean Sea lie less than eight miles (20km) from the vineyards that produce Languedoc Quatourze wines. Almost by definition, then, the climate is of Mediterranean type, meaning hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The strong marine influence is also due to the area's proximity to the Bassin de Thau lagoon. This particular part of the coast is famous for its resident flamingos, and is one of the birds' most northerly habitats. While many of them migrate south for winter, some remain here all year round, demonstrating quite how mild the weather is in the cooler months.
The soils of Quatourze are free-draining and sandy, with a presence of mineral-rich clay. Most vineyards are located on a low plateau, scattered with galets (large, smooth pebbles). The nearby Etang de Bages and Etang de Ayrolle lagoons provide temperature-moderating influences and are closely linked with the local soil types.
