It’s very possible that Neolithic man living in Cambous on the plateau of Saint Martin de Londres enjoyed Pic Saint Loup wine … After all, 4000 years ago the lambrusque, or wild vine, was pruned to bear Vitis Vinifera grapes which produced a nectar for the Gods! Indeed, this ancestor of today’s vines still flourishes on the Pic’s protected slopes.
Of Romans...
Cultivated vines, originally introduced by the Phoceans, soon spread throughout this Roman province. Indeed, they became so prolific that the Roman Empire had to introduce controls, digging up vineyards and forbidding new planting on land other than the infertile limestone slopes ! There is no reason to suppose that our region was not affected! !
And Monks...
The fall of the Roman empire marked a steep decline in Languedoc grape production. But with the introduction of the monasteries in the Middle Ages, the vineyards had a second coming. Many names in the Pic Saint Loup hark back to those times : the commune of Claret, founded in the XI century, was most probably named after a white wine, known as "claret"; the Saint Jean de Cuculles village name comes not only from the habits worn by the monks, but also the clothes of the vineyard workers.
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Records show that from then on, grapes were grown in Pic Saint Loup, even though they were not always the predominant plant they are today..
Moving on
Towards the end of the XIX century the vineyards were replanted after the destructive phyloxera outbreak. The cooperative movement started to blossom, vines became predominant. Soon, Pic Saint Loup wines started to be drunk outside the area, starting in Montpellier and then in other regions thanks to the port of Cette (Sète).
By 1900 they were featuring on Parisien restaurant wine lists and winning prizes in national and regional competitions.
Among the first was Joseph Manissier whose wines won a Gold Medal under the name "Pic Saint Loup" at an international wine fair; those of Cyprlen Abric won medals at the same show, as well as at the 1911 Turin international exhibition.
Getting together : the Syndicate is born
It was formed in 1931 with six founder communes, and sprang back into life after the war. By 1955 basic rules were agreed and it was awarded VDQS status.
Three more communes joined up in 1955, followed by another four in 1966. Together they formed the thirteen communes that today make up the Pic Saint Loup AOC appellation.
As time passed, the collective will developed into a mutual desire : to create a great "Pic Saint Loup" appellation.
Hence, at the end of 2001, the producers applied to the INAO to register the name as a fully recognized AOC.
It was soon approved by the Regional Committee, then by the National Committee in February 2002.
Thieri Loup - the legend
Once upon a time there were three brothers, Guiral, Alban and Thieri Loup; all were enamoured of the lovely Bertrade. But which would she choose ? They left for the Crusades without knowing.
Too long. On their return their beloved had died.
Heartbroken, they became hermits, each at the summit of neighbouring peaks : Thieri chose the highest, Guiral and Alban settled on two others. Every 19 March, each lit a fire in memory of their beloved.
Thieri lived the longest, and it is in his memory that the dominating peak was named the Pic
Saint Loup.
It all started
It’s very possible that Neolithic man living in Cambous on the plateau of Saint Martin de Londres enjoyed Pic Saint Loup wine … After all, 4000 years ago the lambrusque, or wild vine, was pruned to bear Vitis Vinifera grapes which produced a nectar for the Gods! Indeed, this ancestor of today’s vines still flourishes on the Pic’s protected slopes. 
