From cheap plonk to Fit-ou for a king

I've just come back from the largest vineyard in the world. I'm talking Languedoc-Roussillon in the south of France, which produces more wine than Australia. In fact, you could say that the region invented the word plonk ­ because until the last quarter of the 20th century that was mostly what came out of there. Not now, though. Ask a wine waiter where his favourite wines come from and he's likely to reply the Languedoc.

These days there are hundreds of serious growers there producing quality wine to rival the best in France or elsewhere. How did it make that huge leap in quality in such a small time? Jean-Marc Astruc will tell you. In the early 1990s, things weren't looking so rosy for Languedoc's cooperatives. Astruc is president of the region's oldest, Mont Tauch, established in 1913.

Back in those days the cooperative's grape growers were paid on equal terms for their crop, regardless of quality, while we were busy turning to Australia and the like, which produced brighter, friendlier, fruitier numbers for the same price.

Languedoc's solution was simple: pay growers according to the quality of their grapes. Mont Tauch has made huge strides on that score, and now the cooperative, which works with more than 200 growers dotted around the villages of Tuchan, Paziols, Villeneuve and Durban, in the remote Corbières hills between Narbonne and Perpignan, turns out three-quarters of a million cases of decent ­ even seriously good wine. Not a bad turnaround in little more than a decade.

It took a fair amount of cash, of course ­ more than 22 million euros ­ but they renovated their vineyards, showing growers how to get the maximum character from their plot of land; and built a gleaming new winery, sporting 26 shiny stainless steel vats with 12,000-litre capacity, which meant that small batches from individual terroirs could be vinified separately, instead of bunging everything in together.

The technology used is more than just comforting ­ it is awesome. Mont Tauch's viticulturalists can tell you the inside leg measurement of each individual plot (there are 7,000 of them), from vine age and planting density, to yield and treatments, and all are graded at different quality levels.

Chances are that if you're drinking a bottle of Fitou, it'll be from Mont Tauch. It produces 60% of the appellation, alongside a number of wines from Corbières and Vin de Pays du Torgan, and Vin de Pays de la Vallée du Paradis, plus a smattering of Muscat de Rivesaltes, ranging from high-volume supermarket brands to high-calibre expressions of Fitou that are limited to just 3,000 bottles (my favourite is Château de Ségure, not available here, sadly).

I know what you're thinking; the Fitou we get here is mostly destined for the high street ­ not wines that usually grace a pub wine list, then. The thing is, it makes perfect pub wine. At its best it has gutsy, rustic fruit, meaty tannins and lively acidity, washing down stews, braises and roasts a treat.

A three-variety blend, Fitou is the only AOC in France that is actively trying to promote traditionally under-sung Carignan, which makes up a minimum of 30% of the blend, with Grenache and Syrah making up the rest.

Mont Tauch has realised its potential in the on-trade and has come up with Pierre, Paul et Jacques ­ the French answer to Tom, Dick and Harry. Launching in the New Year (available from Stevens Garnier 01865 263300 exclusively to the on-trade at £4.75 per bottle ex-VAT), it is a blend of 50% Carignan, 45% Grenache and 5% Syrah, with rugged, punchy, peppery fruit, best enjoyed with wild boar stew, as the locals do.