Department in the south of France on the Mediterranean coast with the capital Carcasonne in the Languedoc region (politically Occitanie). It is named after the river of the same name, the Aude, and lies between the two departments of Pyrénées-Orientales (south) and Hérault (north-east). It is an ancient wine-growing region; the first vineyards were planted here by the Romans when Narbonne was the capital of Gaul.

The vineyards cover around 100,000 hectares of vines. The climate is predominantly Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and mild winters. Winds such as Tramontane and other local wind currents dry the air and prevent fungal diseases. The soils consist of limestone, slate, sandstone, gravel and clay, ranging from the foothills of the Massif Central to the Montagne Noire and the coastal plains.
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The glossary is a monumental achievement and one of the most important contributions to wine knowledge. Of all the encyclopaedias I use on the subject of wine, it is by far the most important. That was the case ten years ago and it hasn't changed since.
Andreas Essl
Autor, Modena