The vineyards of Berne, their geography and history
For 27 centuries, the vines have been at the heart of the Biterroise land and "red gold" flows in the veins of the men who have forged this land. The atmosphere here is unique: the landscape is linked to the vineyard. It is the vine that has shaped nature. If the Romans seriously developed viticulture on these southern lands, it was really the Etruscans and then the Greeks who imported the first vine stocks on the plots of land in Biterro. Indeed, an archaeological research mission led by the University of Pennsylvania published these results in 2013: the cradle of French viticulture has its origins on the lands of Béziers Méditerranée. The vine is thus omnipresent. It spreads over the hills and plains that sculpt the landscape. It runs along the Orb, Libron and Thongue rivers and even licks the slopes of the city of Béziers with its vegetal finery. The vineyards here have the charm of Italian landscapes: they are dotted with almond trees, rose bushes, fig trees and pine trees, like a painting that unfolds its colours over the seasons.
Its geographical location and the Mediterranean climate are conducive to the development of vine growing. From the 19th century onwards, it triumphed, concealing other activities. Without a renowned vintage, this prosperity consecrated a mass vineyard, planted with the Aramon grape variety, producing a light and mediocre wine. And at a time when the crises of oidium (1860), mildew (1875) and the terrible phylloxera (1885) completely suffocated the French vineyards, the Biterroise vines were strengthened by these evils. Producers found the solution by grafting wine-producing grape varieties onto "rootstocks" that were resistant to the stings of the vine's devastating aphid. Thus, at the turn of the 20th century, Béziers found itself at the heart of a wine-producing region that supplied a large part of France. Wine, which had become scarce, with the price per hectolitre rising from 10 francs in 1875 to 41 francs in 1880, was a godsend for the producers. Self-proclaimed "World Capital of Wine", from 1870 to the end of the First World War, Béziers, its fame and its vineyards gradually faded away. A golden age which ended completely at the end of 1945, a period marked by the beginning of the government's fight against wine consumption. These years of decline pushed the winegrowers to reorientate their work in the vineyards, favouring quality over quantity. Benefiting from State aid for the restructuring of the vineyards, the estates modernised and worked, from the 1980s, on their communication. These constant efforts led to the creation of the AOC "Coteaux du Languedoc" in 1985. A dynamism that pushes the wine growers to constant evolution to ensure the next generations a quality wine resource.
The wine heritage and the chateaux of the pine forest
The vineyard has thus dotted the Béziers landscape with a rich architectural heritage consisting of both traditional winegrowers' houses and splendid private mansions and other artistic testimonies resulting from the financial benefits that graced the city in the 19th century. Béziers was then the richest city in the Bas-Languedoc and it is in hectoliters of wine that the girls to be married of the pinardiers of Béziers are evaluated! Thus, if the traditional winegrowers' houses are inscribed in a certain homogeneity with the cellar, the floor with the high windows and the pulley marking the entry of the hayloft, other middle-class houses present disproportionate proportions and an architecture with the height of the ambitions of their owners. Béziers also experienced these architectural evolutions: the splendors of the time can still be seen today from the Plateau des Poètes to the Municipal Theater, from the construction of the new arena in 1895 to the train station erected in 1857, and including the private mansions with their Haussmannian style.
And what would Béziers Méditerranée be without its rich properties, mansions in Renaissance, Louis-Quatorzian or neo-classical style, better known as châteaux pinardiers. Within a radius of 25 km, there are nearly 150 chateaux that spread their sometimes astonishing architectural styles over the Béziers plain. The rich landowners wanted residences to match their fortune: borrowing from all styles, the architecture is eclectic, even eccentric like the castle of Grézan which looks like a "Little Carcassonne". Some of them are listed as Historic Monuments, such as the Château de Saint-Bauzille in Béziers, others have been converted into hotels or restaurants, and others are still going strong in the heart of important estates that have now restored their reputation.
The domains and appellations
Sitting on the southeastern slopes of Occitania, the Biterrois vineyard is the cradle of a viticulture masterfully led by family-owned wineries. Covering 15,000 hectares, the Biterrois vineyards produce AOC Languedoc, IGP Coteaux d'Ensérune, IGP Coteaux de Béziers, IGP Côtes de Thongue and IGP Pays d'Oc wines. Between land and sea, this Languedoc foothill is home to winegrower-producers and winegrower-cooperators. For several decades, these professionals have chosen to return to the historical grape varieties of the Languedoc, namely Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. Many winegrowers are increasingly turning to organic farming and the production of "natural" wines. A dominance of quality over quantity to best magnify the terroir. From the hillsides with gentle slopes to the banks of the Canal du Midi, from the heart of the garrigues to the terroirs of rolled pebbles, the Biterrois vineyard finds here privileged lands, served by a favorable climate and caressed by the wind. The terroir effect thus takes all its value in these full-bodied wines in all colors. Fresh and elegant wines, personal wines anchored in the soil, generous and complex wines... they are to be discovered in the cellars, at the producers and on the occasion of the tours proposed by the Béziers Méditerranée Tourist Office.
Wine tourism circuits and the "Vignobles & Découvertes" label
Some figures about the territory: 48 wine estates, 6 cooperative cellars, 5 appellations and an area labeled "Vignobles & Découvertes" since 2015.
To discover this wine territory, take the Wine Routes. On foot or by bike, let yourself be guided by the various signs, enjoy the nature and its intense colors, and at your own pace, open your senses to this freedom on one of the 4 tours offered by the Béziers Méditerranée Tourist Office.
Two oeno-randos, "Between Canal du Midi and Vineyards" and "The Balconies of Alignan" lead you through the vineyards for walks of nearly 3 hours. You will discover a mosaic of grape varieties, from the banks of the Canal du Midi to the panorama of the Reyne plain. These walks are a perfect introduction to visiting a cellar and discovering the rural heritage.
As for the road tours, there are 4 of them. On this territory, all the roads lead to the vineyards and to the meeting of the winegrowers. Enriching moments of sharing to discover the land in a different way. "Between Sea and Pond", a circuit that starts in Sérignan, allows you to enjoy its heritage and the view of its vineyards to lead you to Valras-Plage and Vendres. A loop of flavors could be said with the discovery of the scallop shops and the Libron hillsides. "Gardens and vineyards" starts in Béziers. Between flavors and scents, parks and gardens, romantic walks and stops in the domains of the Béziers plain, this loop is certainly full of surprises. the "Ronde des Caves" honors the Canal des Deux Mers, without which the wine trade would not have been able to reach such a large scale. Starting from the historical cellar of Maraussan, 4 hours of itinerary through the vineyards and history await you. Here, the cellars can be admired and visited, the places can be deciphered, the wine can be tasted (in moderation). "Les vins de Riquet" invite you to discover the emblematic monument of Béziers, its vines that cling to the towpaths, and the IGP Coteaux d'Ensérune reveals the freshness of its wines.
The destination has been awarded the "Vignobles & Découvertes" label, underlining its vocation as a tourist and wine-producing region through its offer aimed at carefully selected service providers: accommodation, restaurants, museums, wine cellars and tastings, and events linked to the wine world. The label has been awarded to 17 wineries and cooperative cellars, 18 accommodations, 12 restaurants, 12 heritage sites and leisure activities, 6 events and one tourist office. This label guarantees that customers will find a quality welcome, sharing and experience around the Biterrois vineyards.
