HIS PLACE IN THE SUN

In the south of France, native vintner Gérard Bertrand stands tall as the champion of Languedoc wines

- KRISTEN BIELER

Whether hiking through his Languedoc vineyards or navigating the cobblestone streets of the medieval city Carcassonne, Gérard Bertrand walks in a relaxed, loping gait. Yet with seemingly little effort he covers a lot of ground. Of course, there’s his size advantage: The former professional rugby player stands at an imposing 6 feet, 5 inches. But there also seems to be a forward momentum pulling him along, the restlessness of a man on a mission.

With his extensive range of wines—from the affordably priced Cote des Roses to singleestate, luxury cuvées such as the Clos d’Ora at $250 a bottle—he is determined to tell the world a different story about Languedoc, a wide swath of land stretching 150 miles along the Mediterranean Coast from the Pyrenees and Spanish border upward north and east to Provence. It’s a breathtakingly gorgeous part of France; a mosaic of beaches, mountains and rolling countryside dotted by ancient medieval cities, crumbling castles and endless vineyards.

“This is the cradle of wine’s origins in France, but we have had to overcome the bad reputation of the recent past and drive a quality revolution,” Bertrand says. “My journey has been more than a career, but a declaration of faith in my region.” After just 15 years in the U.S. market, his wines rank among the top-selling French brands.