The pioneer of the Rives-Banques vineyards, Mauzac dates back to the Renaissance, and is referred to in Antiquamareto’s Livre de Raison of 1525. Although once widespread, it is grown today in two appellations only: Limoux and Gaillac – though experts say there are differences between the two. Mauzac is generally associated with a subtle fragrance of apple in the wine… “an appley freshness and bite that follows up the faint grassy cidery aroma”, although this is not evident in our wines. Its firm acidity and fairly neutral taste makes it an excellent base for sparkling wines, but it is extremely difficult to vinify successfully as a non-sparkling wine for exactly the same reasons. A fine white down on the underside of its leaves gives it the name used locally – “blanquette”. Blanquette is also the name of Limoux’s most famous sparkling wine, which is made from this grape. We produce two award-winning mauzac wines: one is Blanquette de Limoux, the world’s oldest and original sparkling wine, and the other is the highly praised Occitania, Great Gold Medalist of the Great Wines of Languedoc-Roussillon, which is made from 50 year-old, uncloned vines – the first, and until recently, the  only barrel-vinified still mauzac wine in the appellation.