Mike Tipping finds some fine wines to remind him of his holiday in France.

I HAVE found the cure for the summertime blues. I enjoyed a few days of sun, wine and relaxation in the Languedoc region of France with my family last month. Normally, by now, I would have slumped in to a melancholic frame of mind with my summer holiday already in the past tense.

So what has stopped my ebb from lowering? A 27-year-old Skipton lass called Gemma Crangle, that's what. Or should I say the following selection from the wine list of her family business venture Terroir Languedoc. This is a company that specialises in wines from the Languedoc-Rousillon, one of the oldest and certainly one of the most innovative wine-growing regions in France.

I swear there is no better white wine with seafood than those made from the Languedoc's own picpoul blanc grape. Domaine Coustellier Picpoul de Pinet 2002 is a fine example. It is satisfyingly crisp with a smidgen of background fizz. Honeysuckle aromas and flavours of lemon, tangerine and pineapple finish nicely with liberal sprinklings of white pepper. Bring on the langoustine.

Some white wines are for glugging, others are for sipping slowly and should be allocated time for consideration. Mas de Chimeres Blanc 2003, Vin de Pays des Coteaux du Salagou falls in to the latter category. This equal parts blend of the grapes, chasan, terret and viognier produces a full, perfumed, musky, spiced and complex wine. There are flavours of peach and tarte au poire. It is a silken yet peppered wine and one which I can't help thinking might be the ideal pairing for Thai curry. Don't assume that because this is a vin de pays that it is less worthy than those categorised AOC - it is simply not the case.

From the same stable comes the red Mas de Chimeres 2000, Coteaux du Languedoc, an elegant, beautifully textured blend of syrah, grenache and mourvedre, full of dense red fruit character and nicely integrated oak. It also comes equipped with lingering hot spices, cracked black peppercorns and plenty of supple tannins.

Better still a gamey old vines blend of syrah, grenache and carignan, Clot de L'Oum Saint Bart Vielles Vignes 2002, Cotes du Rousillon-Villages. Concentrated, full, rich and velvety, this nicely structured, complex red has cherry, cloves, vanilla, pepper and aniseed in abundance. Again the oak is superbly integrated and with generous, mouth-filling tannins. Pricey but worth every penny!

Terroir Languedoc wines, of which there are more than 50 listed, can be bought online. Visit the website (www.terroirlanguedoc.co.uk).

While you are online you may like to join in the discussions on the new Tipping's Tipples web-forum.

Any thoughts on wine or questions would be appreciated. Or perhaps you would like to recommend a wine? It can be found by clicking on forums, on the Evening Press website (www.thisisyork.co.uk).

Domaine Coustellier Picpoul de Pinet 2002, £6.95 from Terroir Languedoc (www.terroirlanguedoc.co.uk). 18/20

Mas de Chimeres Blanc 2003, Vin de Pays des Coteaux du Salagou, £8.15 from Terroir Languedoc (www.terroirlanguedoc.co.uk). 18/20

Mas de Chimeres 2000, Coteaux du Languedoc, £9.27 from Terroir Languedoc (www.terroirlanguedoc.co.uk). 17/20

Clot de L'Oum Saint Bart Vielles Vignes 2002, Cotes du Rousillon-Villages, £16.32 from Terroir Languedoc (www.terroirlanguedoc.co.uk). 19/20

Updated: 16:34 Friday, July 15, 2005