Located at the southern entrance of the Haut-Languedoc Regional Natural Park, Roquebrun is a charming medieval village in the Hérault department. In addition to revealing a beautiful preserved and renovated heritage, it is located in the heart of a remarkable natural environment, between the Orb river which flows at its feet and the surrounding valley. The landscapes are breathtakingly beautiful, and it is on these fertile lands of Occitania that the winegrowers work several qualitative grape varieties giving birth to the succulent wines of the AOC Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun. For a charming wine tourism stay, here are 5 good reasons to visit the place that is nicknamed "The Little Nice of Languedoc"
1- The discovery of a medieval village full of charm
Roquebrun is above all a splendid small village of the Hérault where it is good to stay. Located on a hillside, facing south, it is pleasant to walk through its medieval streets and alleys revealing beautiful ochre-colored facades and a heritage that never ceases to reveal its long history. Several peoples have indeed left their traces here: Troglodytes, Romans, Carolingians and Cathars. During a walk, one cannot fail to visit the church of Saint-André de Roquebrun, to go up to the heights to admire the Carolingian tower, before going back down to the Orb to see some mills and to cross the bridge that spans the river. Roquebrun is a village that is at one with nature. One likes to rest on the beach in the beautiful days, as to join the points of view of the commune revealing superb panoramas on the green reliefs of the regional Natural reserve of High-Languedoc.
2- Magnificent landscapes that can be enjoyed in a thousand ways
The landscapes that surround the village of Roquebrun are of such beauty that they are an incessant call to enjoy nature. Territory that benefits from a generous sunshine all year round, all the conditions are gathered to go and explore a part of the Regional Natural Park of the Haut-Languedoc. For the lovers of outdoor activities, the surroundings of Roquebrun are a small paradise. You can go hiking and reach the vineyards located on the heights, take mountain bike trails to cross the forests and the undulating valley where the vegetation flourishes in abundance, then climb aboard a kayak to glide along the Orb and vary between calm passages and others a little more agitated
3- The discovery of a unique terroir
The fact that Roquebrun and its surroundings are full of sunshine is one of the reasons why the cultivation of grapes has taken place since ancient times with the Greeks and Romans. The other reason is the presence of a schistous soil, which offers the possibility to the roots of the vines to infiltrate in the cracks and to go to get the rainwater supply up to 8 meters deep. The schist soils around Roquebrun store water and retain heat, allowing the grapes to grow in optimal conditions and, as the local winemakers say, to ripen at night while they sleep. It is these particular conditions that have allowed Roquebrun and its territory to forge a unique terroir, and for the Mediterranean vegetation to flourish. To get an idea of the species that grow in the area, you can visit the Mediterranean Garden, a wonderful space where you can discover the flora and the typical Mediterranean species with palms, succulents, cacti, lemon trees, orange trees and exotic plants.
4- A stay on the land of winegrowers
Because in Roquebrun, a great wine results from an irreproachable grape, the winegrowers of the Cave de Roquebrun work by being as close as possible to nature and by taking into account the respect of the environment. From the pruning to the manual harvest, each step is meticulously worked. The presence of a weather station on the estate and the work in partnership with an agronomist also allow for a reasoned culture. Everything is put in place for a perfect control of the evolution of the plant and for the respect of its evolution throughout the year and the seasons. The result is high quality wines that visitors will enjoy tasting. The winegrowers of the Cave de Roquebrun have been awarded the High Environmental Value (HVE) label, rewarding the implementation of more ecological agricultural practices
5- Tasting of typical and authentic wines
A stay in Roquebrun is the opportunity to participate in the tasting of local wines! For this, the Cave de Roquebrun waits for the visitors in its domain for an unforgettable tasting of its wines. The plot selection of old vines, the maceration in whole bunches, the aging of the vintages in 900 French oak barrels, allow to produce high quality wines, especially powerful and elegant reds. The emblematic grape varieties for the red wines are Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache Noir and Carignan. For the rosé wines, we find Syrah and Grenache. For white wines, we find roussanne, viognier and white grenache. The presence of schist in the soil gives the wines a pleasant minerality in the mouth. The Cave de Roquebrun produces 4 appellations: AOC Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun, Saint-Chinian, Languedoc and IGP Pays d'Oc. Something to vary the pleasures in the mouth.
