Saint-Saturnin is a sub-region of southern France's Languedoc appellation (formerly Coteaux du Languedoc). This means that as a recognized source of higher-quality wines, the village may append its name to the Coteaux du Languedoc titles on wine labels.
The sub-region is named after Saint-Saturnin-de-Lucian, a village in the southern foothills of the Massif Central. The presence of the hills above the village creates a slightly cooler climate than that which is found in most of the Languedoc region, although the climate is still decidedly Mediterranean. Long, hot days and slightly cooler nights mean increased diurnal temperature variation for Saint-Saturnin's vineyards – an important factor in the creation of wines with balanced sugars and acids. The soils here are a combination of mostly clay and limestone, created over the millennia by glacial activity.
Saint-Saturnin wines are made predominantly from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre grapes, the local cepages ameliorateurs ('improver' varieties). More usually associated with the wines of the Rhone region, these three varieties are being widely used across the Languedoc region to make the traditional Carignan-based wines more complex and approachable. Carignan is now limited to a relatively small representation in Saint-Saturnin wines.
