La Clape gets AOC status

France's Coteaux du Languedoc sub-district of La Clape has received approval as a full 'appellation contrôlée'.

From the end of last month, producers are entitled to use only the name of 'La Clape' on their labels. Previously the wine had to be designated 'Coteaux du Languedoc, La Clape'.

The district is less than 10km from the Mediterranean coast in the Western Languedoc.

It produces red and rosé wines from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Carignan, and whites are from Bourboulenc, also called Malvoisie.

The area is protected from mountain breezes by the Carcassonne Valley, and cooled by sea mists below. La Clape regularly receives 3000 sunshine hours per year, amongst the highest along the Mediterranean.

La Clape's wines are celebrated: notable names include Gerard Bertrand's Château l'Hospitalet, and the highly-respected Chateau Camplazens, both of which won Gold at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2009.