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South of France, Jura and Savoie, level by level

What the Court's syllabus asks at each level, from Provence rosé and Cahors Malbec to Vin Jaune and the crus of Savoie, with a quiz at the end.

Alper Billik · Advanced Sommelier

Updated October 2026 · 6 min read · Edited with AI

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The syllabus at a glance
Level 1: the essentials
Certified: the named appellations
Advanced: methods, Savoie and the Languedoc in depth
Master Sommelier: the fine print
Quiz: South of France, Jura, Savoie
Questions people ask

The short answer: in the Court of Master Sommeliers' syllabus, "South of France" covers Provence, Languedoc, Roussillon and the South-West, and from Certified up it also takes in the Jura and, at Advanced, Savoie. Level 1 asks for the main wines and grapes; Certified for named appellations; Advanced for production methods, sub-districts and producers. Here is what to learn at each step.

The syllabus at a glance

Level	What the Court lists
Introductory	Climate; principal wines of Provence, Languedoc, Roussillon, Bergerac, Madiran and Cahors; their grapes and styles; VDN and VDL; Vin de Pays districts
Certified	Bergerac, Monbazillac, Pécharmant, Fitou, Cahors, Madiran, Corbières, Jura, Gaillac; Vin de Paille; Provence and its sub-regions; blends
Advanced	Vin Jaune and Vin de Paille production; Savoie; Languedoc's AOPs and sub-districts; Roussillon, Gaillac, Béarn, Jurançon, Irouléguy; Bergerac's AOCs; climate, vintages, producers
Master Sommelier	Côtes de Provence villages; Jura districts; Languedoc crus; VDN and VDL styles; Savoie crus; producers of the smaller districts; latest changes

Introductory: What the Court listsClimate; principal wines of Provence, Languedoc, Roussillon, Bergerac, Madiran and Cahors; their grapes and styles; VDN and VDL; Vin de Pays districts

Certified: What the Court listsBergerac, Monbazillac, Pécharmant, Fitou, Cahors, Madiran, Corbières, Jura, Gaillac; Vin de Paille; Provence and its sub-regions; blends

Advanced: What the Court listsVin Jaune and Vin de Paille production; Savoie; Languedoc's AOPs and sub-districts; Roussillon, Gaillac, Béarn, Jurançon, Irouléguy; Bergerac's AOCs; climate, vintages, producers

Master Sommelier: What the Court listsCôtes de Provence villages; Jura districts; Languedoc crus; VDN and VDL styles; Savoie crus; producers of the smaller districts; latest changes

Level 1: the essentials

Climate: Provence, Languedoc and Roussillon are Mediterranean: hot, dry summers, mild winters, and strong winds such as the Mistral and the Tramontane. The South-West is milder and more Atlantic.
Provence: above all dry, pale rosé, from Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvèdre, with Rolle (Vermentino) for whites.
Languedoc: generous reds from Carignan, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault, often blended.
Roussillon: dry reds, and France's great home of Vins Doux Naturels.
Bergerac: next door to Bordeaux, with Bordeaux's grapes: Merlot, the Cabernets, Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc.
Cahors: dark, firm reds from Malbec, locally called Côt or Auxerrois.
Madiran: powerful, tannic reds from Tannat.

Term	How it is made	Examples
VDN (Vin Doux Naturel)	Grape spirit is added during fermentation, which stops it and keeps natural sweetness	Banyuls, Maury, Rivesaltes, Muscat de Rivesaltes, Muscat de Frontignan
VDL (Vin de Liqueur)	Grape spirit is added to unfermented grape juice	Floc de Gascogne, Macvin du Jura

VDN (Vin Doux Naturel): How it is madeGrape spirit is added during fermentation, which stops it and keeps natural sweetness; ExamplesBanyuls, Maury, Rivesaltes, Muscat de Rivesaltes, Muscat de Frontignan

VDL (Vin de Liqueur): How it is madeGrape spirit is added to unfermented grape juice; ExamplesFloc de Gascogne, Macvin du Jura

Vin de Pays is today's IGP. The big one is IGP Pays d'Oc, covering Languedoc-Roussillon and a major source of wine labelled by grape variety. In Gascony, IGP Côtes de Gascogne is known for crisp whites. More fortified detail in fortified wines for Level 1.

Certified: the named appellations

Appellation	Region	Grapes and style
Bergerac	South-West	Bordeaux-style reds, whites and sweet wines
Monbazillac	Within Bergerac	Sweet whites from botrytised Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle
Pécharmant	Within Bergerac	Red only: structured Merlot and Cabernet blends
Cahors	South-West	Malbec-led reds: dark fruit, firm tannins, long-lived
Madiran	South-West	Tannat-led reds: very tannic, built to age
Gaillac	South-West	Every style; local grapes Mauzac and Len de l'El (white), Duras and Braucol (red)
Fitou	Languedoc	Red only: Carignan and Grenache blends
Corbières	Languedoc	A large, mostly red appellation of Carignan, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre

Bergerac: RegionSouth-West; Grapes and styleBordeaux-style reds, whites and sweet wines

Monbazillac: RegionWithin Bergerac; Grapes and styleSweet whites from botrytised Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle

Pécharmant: RegionWithin Bergerac; Grapes and styleRed only: structured Merlot and Cabernet blends

Cahors: RegionSouth-West; Grapes and styleMalbec-led reds: dark fruit, firm tannins, long-lived

Madiran: RegionSouth-West; Grapes and styleTannat-led reds: very tannic, built to age

Gaillac: RegionSouth-West; Grapes and styleEvery style; local grapes Mauzac and Len de l'El (white), Duras and Braucol (red)

Fitou: RegionLanguedoc; Grapes and styleRed only: Carignan and Grenache blends

Corbières: RegionLanguedoc; Grapes and styleA large, mostly red appellation of Carignan, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre

Provence's sub-regions: Bandol, where reds need at least 50% Mourvèdre and 18 months in oak, and the whites are based on Clairette; Cassis, mainly white, from Marsanne and Clairette, by the sea near Marseille; Bellet, in the hills above Nice, with the rare Braquet and Folle Noire for reds and Rolle for whites; and the large Côtes de Provence and Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, both mostly rosé.

The Jura and Vin de Paille: a sweet "straw wine" from Chardonnay, Savagnin, Poulsard or Trousseau. The grapes are dried for at least six weeks, then the wine ages at least three years, 18 months of it in wood. It is made in Arbois, Côtes du Jura and L'Étoile. The Jura's basics are in the Jura for Level 1.

Advanced: methods, Savoie and the Languedoc in depth

Vin Jaune: Savagnin only, aged in barrels that are never topped up, so a film of yeast, the voile, forms on the wine. It spends at least 60 months under the voile and cannot be released until 6 years and 3 months after the harvest, in the 62 cl clavelin. Château-Chalon makes Vin Jaune only.
Savoie: Alpine foothills. Whites from Jacquère (the main grape), Altesse (alone in Roussette de Savoie), Chasselas and Roussanne, called Bergeron; reds from Mondeuse, Gamay and Persan.
Languedoc AOPs: besides the broad AOP Languedoc, learn Picpoul de Pinet (white, Picpoul), Faugères and Saint-Chinian (reds, schist), Minervois and Minervois-La Livinière, La Clape, Pic Saint-Loup and Terrasses du Larzac.
Roussillon: Côtes du Roussillon and Villages for dry reds; Collioure (dry) shares its land with Banyuls (VDN).
The far South-West: Jurançon, dry (sec) and sweet whites from Petit and Gros Manseng; Béarn; Irouléguy, in the Basque Country, reds from Tannat and the Cabernets.
Producers to know: Domaine Tempier (Bandol), Château Simone (Palette), Mas de Daumas Gassac (Languedoc), Jean Macle (Château-Chalon).

Master Sommelier: the fine print

Côtes de Provence names: Sainte-Victoire, Fréjus, Pierrefeu and Notre-Dame des Anges (red and rosé), and La Londe (also white).
Jura districts: Arbois (with Arbois-Pupillin), Château-Chalon, L'Étoile and Côtes du Jura, plus Crémant du Jura and Macvin du Jura.
Savoie crus: Abymes, Apremont, Arbin, Ayze, Chautagne, Chignin, Chignin-Bergeron, Crépy, Cruet, Jongieux, Marignan, Marin, Montmélian, Ripaille, Saint-Jean-de-la-Porte and Saint-Jeoire-Prieuré.
Latest changes: appellation rules move; check INAO's current specifications before an exam.

Quiz: South of France, Jura, Savoie

Question 1

Cahors reds are based on which grape?

a)Tannat
b)Malbec
c)Mourvèdre
d)Carignan

Show answer

b) Malbec. Cahors is Malbec country, locally called Côt.

Question 2

Which grape must make up at least half of a red Bandol?

a)Grenache
b)Syrah
c)Mourvèdre
d)Cinsault

Show answer

c) Mourvèdre. Bandol reds need 50 to 95% Mourvèdre.

Question 3

Monbazillac is best known for:

a)Dry reds
b)Sweet botrytised whites
c)Sparkling wine
d)Rosé

Show answer

b) Sweet botrytised whites. Monbazillac makes sweet whites from botrytised grapes, within Bergerac.

Question 4

How is a Vin Doux Naturel made?

a)Grapes are dried on straw
b)Grape spirit is added during fermentation
c)Grape spirit is added to unfermented juice
d)The wine is aged under flor

Show answer

b) Grape spirit is added during fermentation. Adding spirit during fermentation stops it and keeps natural sweetness: that is a VDN.

Question 5

Vin Jaune is made only from:

a)Chardonnay
b)Poulsard
c)Savagnin
d)Jacquère

Show answer

c) Savagnin. Vin Jaune is 100% Savagnin.

Question 6

Roussette de Savoie is made from:

a)Altesse
b)Jacquère
c)Chasselas
d)Mondeuse

Show answer

a) Altesse. Roussette de Savoie is made from Altesse.

Question 7

Jurançon's grapes are:

a)Mauzac and Len de l'El
b)Petit and Gros Manseng
c)Clairette and Bourboulenc
d)Sémillon and Muscadelle

Show answer

b) Petit and Gros Manseng. Jurançon makes dry and sweet whites from Petit and Gros Manseng.

Question 8

Which appellation is red only?

a)Bergerac
b)Gaillac
c)Pécharmant
d)Côtes de Provence

Show answer

c) Pécharmant. Pécharmant, within Bergerac, makes red wine only.

Study France with SOMM DIGI AI The Jura for Level 1

Questions people ask

Is the Jura part of the South of France?

Not on the map: it lies in eastern France, between Burgundy and Switzerland. The Court's syllabus simply groups it, with Savoie, under "South of France".