Hey there! If you love wine, are curious about the world’s wine regions, or just want to geek out a little on grapes, terroir, and winemaking, you’re in the right place. This is a fun, educational wine podcast made for serious enthusiasts, wine students, and anyone who wants to fall in love with wine all over again.
I chat with winemakers, sommeliers, and Masters of Wine who share their stories, tips, and insider knowledge - from their favourite regions and grapes to food pairings and the techniques that make each bottle special. Sometimes we open a bottle as we talk, sometimes I take you along on a 4-day itinerary I’ve mapped out from my travels, and sometimes we do quick-fire flashcard-style deep dives to test your wine knowledge - all in a way that’s engaging, uplifting, and never boring.
Whether you’re working towards your WSET or MW exams, or just want to explore the world of wine with a glass in hand, this podcast is a place to laugh, learn, and celebrate the joy of wine. Come join our inclusive wine-loving community - there’s a story, a tip, or a tasting for everyone.
Episodes
Monday Jan 26, 2026
Monday Jan 26, 2026
In this flashcard-style WSET Diploma D3 “Wines of the World” episode, Janina dives deep into the sun-drenched vineyards of Languedoc and Roussillon, exploring the climate, terroir, grape varieties, and AOCs that define these huge and diverse regions. Perfect for students preparing for the WSET Diploma theory exam, this episode covers key facts, yields, blending rules, and appellation regulations — but it’s also for wine lovers who want to geek out on French wine or be inspired by some of the most exciting wines coming out of southern France today.
A detailed, geeky, and highly structured exploration of geography, grapes, regulations, and the stories behind the wines of Languedoc and Roussillon.
💡 Want more flashcard-style episodes? Previously, Janina has produced episodes to help with Fortified Wine and Sparkling Wine exams. You can find them here:
Ep 113: Shery, VdNs, Rutherglen Muscat
Ep 129: Sparkling Wine Production
Ep 142: All other sparkling wines
🍷 This episode is sponsored by Zeno: Alcohol Liberated Wines (Non-Alcoholic Producer of the Year 2025 with the International London Wine Competition). The wine mentioned is the Zeno Alcohol-Liberated Red, an alcohol-free red crafted from Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, available from Waitrose and Waitrose Cellar.
Follow Zeno on Instagram @drinkzeno.
Shownotes
00:30 Why Languedoc-Roussillon is such a fascinating and large wine region – 224,000 ha under vine, more than South Africa, Chile, Argentina or Australia.
02:00 Climate overview – Mediterranean sunshine, low rainfall (~600 mm), and the Tramontane wind, reducing disease pressure and supporting organic viticulture.
03:15 Water stress, drought years, and impacts on yields – historical low yields in 2005 & 2015.
04:30 French wine classifications – AOC vs IGP, and what they mean for rules, grape selection, yields, and freedom.
05:30 Production breakdown – only 15% of Languedoc production is AOC, IGP dominates (~70%), cooperatives historically significant (~60%).
06:15 IGP Pays d’Oc – top red, white, and rosé percentages, 10–15% of all French wine, permitted 58 grape varieties, max yields, and affordability.
07:45 Principal grape varieties – Syrah, Grenache Noir, Merlot, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay.
08:30 AOC rules – minimum two grape varieties, at least one principal, blending rules for red wines.
09:15 Languedoc key AOCs (west → east) – Malepère & Cabardès (Atlantic-influenced), blending percentages, minimum principal grape percentages.
11:00 Limoux – sparkling wine history (first in 1531), key grapes, relevance to Diploma sparkling wine studies.
12:00 Corbières – fourth largest in France, hilly, up to 450 m, key red blends, sub-AOC Corbières-Boutenac with Carignan dominance.
13:15 Fitou – coastal vs inland differences, soil impact on concentration, blending rules.
14:00 La Clape – red and white, warm and arid, Grenache Blanc/Bourboulenc minimums for whites.
14:45 Minervois – typical red blend (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault), max 80% for any one variety, altitude impact on acidity and freshness.
15:30 Minervois-La Livinière – higher altitude, structured, fresher wines.
16:00 Faugères – schist soils, 250–400 m altitude, average yields 33 hl/ha, 40% organic, minimum 1 year ageing.
16:45 Terrasses du Larzac – AOC since 2014, reds only, high diurnal range (20°C), ripe fruit and acidity.
17:30 Pic Saint-Loup – most easterly, continental influence, Syrah ≥50%, red & rosé only, rainfall ~1,000 mm.
18:15 Picpoul de Pinet – white only, Picpoul Blanc, coastal vineyards, dry, medium-bodied, medium+ acidity, lemon and floral notes.
19:15 Roussillon overview – 21,000 ha, Pyrenees influence, 70% AOC, 25% Vin Doux Naturel, climate Mediterranean, rainfall 500–600 mm.
20:00 Key grape varieties – Grenache Noir, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Muscat (fortified & whites).
20:45 Roussillon AOCs – Côtes du Roussillon (largest, red/white/rosé), Côtes du Roussillon Villages (red, max yields, carbonic maceration), Collioure (coastal terraces, red & white, low yields), IGP Côtes Catalanes (premium reds and whites).
22:30 Max yields & blending rules for red, white, and rosé – practical numbers for Diploma revision.
📩 Questions or feedback? janina@eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk
📸 Instagram: @eatsleep_winerepeat
🎥 YouTube: Eat Sleep Wine Repeat
🌐 Website: www.eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk
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RECOGNITION:
– Finalist, 67 Pall Mall Award for Best Global Wine Communicator in Audio (2025)
– Shortlisted, IWSC Emerging Talent in Wine Communication (2025)
– Ranked #18 in 2024 and #22 in 2025 on Drinks Retailing’s Most Influential People in Drinks list
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