text: The 2016 vintage in France (part 2) | iDealwine Blog
  Following our round up of the 2016 vintage in the northern regions of France, this week we will be focusing on the southern regions including Bordeaux, the Rhône, the Languedoc, Roussillon, Provence and Corsica.
  On the whole the whites have also done well and show good depth and ripe aromas (even a little exotic at times). The 2016 vintage won't be a particularly memorable one for Sauternes: with not quite enough noble rot developing on the grapes the wines are lacking some power. Nonetheless, there are many delicious, albeit more delicate, white wines to be found in this vintage: they should be drunk young and enjoyed for their fruit.
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  You guessed it, 2016 also proved to be complicated in the Languedoc. A cool and humid spring encouraged disease and a horribly dry summer prevented the grapes from maturing well. Unfortunately the Languedoc really drew the short straw as it also suffered badly from water deficit in the winter of 2015/2016. Terroirs that were fortunate enough to be situated at higher altitudes survived best as they managed to escape the drought and the heat. Generally speaking, 2016 was kindest to those appellations situated farthest from the sea, such as Pic Saint-Loup and Terrasses du Larzac, with some even having a better year than 2015. Wines made from old Carignan vines did well in 2016 as this grape variety tends to handle drought well. Be warned though, the Languedoc will certainly produce some harsh wines this year with under ripe tannins (due to water stress). The higher altitude vineyards where the grapes have managed to reach optimum maturity are a safer bet and will deliver fresher tasting wines. As is often the case in difficult vintages, the more established and trusted winemakers have come out of this troublesome 2016 the least scathed.
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  In general, the whites of the southern Rhône don't live up to the reds this year. However, whites from Châteauneuf-du-Pape are the exception to the rule and have had a hugely successful year. Grapes here reached good maturity which has given the many different and interesting white grape varieties a chance to step out from behind the shadow of the big name reds that dominate this wine region.