Founded in 1950 by 75 small growers, the CastelBarry Artisanal Coop is nestled in the remote and rugged hills of the Languedoc's Hérault Valley. These days, with 110 local farmers on board (with an average of 2-3 hectares each) it represents 30% of all viticulture in the town of Montpeyroux. "We are," says Bernard Pallise, their proud and down-to-earth directeur général of 16 years, "vraiment le coeur du village" ("truly the heart of the village"). As part and parcel, CastelBarry remains fiercely devoted to protecting the environment, and are certified sustainable by Terra Vitis - whose protocol, they maintain, is stricter than certified organic. This spirit of environmental stewardship has long been woven into the local DNA: a half-century ago, this wild and beautiful area became the home of France’s “back to earth” movement. In response to a proposed military installation in the 1970s, hippies, activists, and revolutionaries all flocked here to join the locals in a loud and sustained protest. Today, many of these same folks and their descendants are still making wine, and that sense of youthful rebellion still forms the backbone of the local identity.

Located 40 kilometers northwest of Montpellier, this zone forms the northernmost border of the Languedoc and is the first geographic step before the iconic Massif Central. Hot, hilly, and fairly high up, it's commonly home to diurnal swings of 15-20 degrees Celsius, which combined with cool evening breezes and heavy annual rainfall help to create wines with more freshness and acidic backbone than many have come to expect from the Languedoc. 3 tiers of wine are produced here and, generally speaking, the quality level rises along with the altitude: Languedoc AOCs comprise the baseline and are typically made using fruit grown under 150 meters; the Terrasses du Larzac AOC (recently elevated to the rank of “cru du Languedoc-Roussillon”) is crafted from vineyards between 150-200 meters and provides a more than respectable second tier; capping off the trio (literally), are wines labeled Montpeyroux AOC, which are created from vines lying between 200-400 meters (none grow higher here). With good reason, the last two in particular are becoming well-known for combining the generous fruit of southern France with the sophistication of the subalps, and Montpeyroux is emerging as one of the Languedoc's "new frontiers".