Although the Greeks arrived in this area with vines in the 5th C BCE, after eruptions of Vesuvius almost 2,000 years ago, many Roman winemakers relocated and the Languedoc was one of their chosen landing places. La Livinière (from the Latin word for ‘vine’) was one of the prized areas for the displaced Romans to plant vines, and they named the surrounding region the ‘Minervois’ after the Roman Goddess of Wisdom. The land, with its soil of flint, silica clay, quartz, marble and limestone, proved to be perfect, and grape vines have been planted there for millenia. The village of La Livinière and 4 surrounding villages gained their own appellation and ‘Cru’ status in 1999, the first in the Languedoc, and the wines represent the best-of-the-best in the Minervois. Domaine Borie de Maurel practices organic and biodynamic agriculture.