[1] The appellation includes St-Saturnin (cited by Jancis Robinson as, "one of the more exciting of the named crus within the Côteaux du Languedoc appellation including parts of St-Guiraud, Jonquières, and Arboras", and Montpeyroux (cited by Robinson as, "the highest named cru within the Côteaux du Languedoc in southern France and, with nearby Pic-St-Loup, the most exciting").
Here the grazing of Lacaune, Manech, and Basco-Béarnaise for the production of Roquefort occurs alongside the growing of Grenache, Syrah, and Mouvedre for Terrasses du Larzac wine.
The climate zone with the widest temperature variations in the region, it enjoys relatively cool summer nights thanks to its distance from the sea and proximity to the mountainous Causse.
[4] Aniane, Arboras, Le Bosc, Brissac, Causse-de-la-Selle, Ceyras, Gignac (part), Jonquières, Lagamas, Lauroux, Mérifons, Montoulieu, Montpeyroux, Moulès-et-Baucels, Murles, Octon, Pégairolles-de-Buèges, Pégairolles-de-l'Escalette, Poujols, Puéchabon, Saint-André-de-Sangonis, Saint-André-de-Buèges, Saint-Félix-de-Lodez, Saint-Guiraud, Saint-Jean-de-Buèges, Saint-Jean-de-Fos, Saint-Jean-de-la-Blaquière, Saint-Privat, Saint-Saturnin-de-Lucian, Soubès, Usclas-du-Bosc.
The climate zone with the widest temperature variations, it enjoys relatively cool summer nights thanks to its distance from the sea and proximity to the mountainous Causse.
The land around Lodève had great appeal, stretching as it did along the busy Roman road which linked Cessero (St Thibéry) with Segodunum (Rodez).
The influence of the Benedictine monks of Aniane and Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, evidenced by the number of Romanesque churches and priories stretching up to the Buèges valley, was accompanied by the growing of vines on terraces overlooking the Buèges valley and the production of wine made in the cellars of Benedictine priories founded by the Abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert in the 10th and 11th centuries.
Local producers emerged later, using glazed stone vats blocks for vinification in vaulted cellars of village houses.
In the 17-18th century, the growth of eau de vie production brought a greater prosperity to grape growers leading to the establishment of a distillery in most villages.