I was glad to learn the other day that Limoux in the high country inland of Corbières in the Pyrenean foothills in the south of France was to be authorised to make still Appellation Contrôlée red wine as well as its already well-known fizz Blanquette de Limoux, its more international fizz Crémant de Limoux and its really rather expensive oaked Chardonnays.
When I picked over the detail of the regulations of the new AC however I was astonished to see that while Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Grenache, Malbec and (until 2010) Carignan are all allowed, the most obviously...