Nestled among imposing mountains adorned with picturesque 13th century Cathar castles, lies a French wine co-operative responsible for reviving Languedoc wines abroad.

The vibrant Mont Tauch co-operative made up from growers from the villages of Tuchan, Paziols, Villeneuve and Durban, has an innovative team determined to produce wines which appeal to the modern palate.

Formed in 1913, the co-operative, made up of 250 growers, lies no more than an hour's drive from Perpignan.

For some, the expertise has been passed down the generations with grandfathers and great-grandsons working in the same vineyards.

And they produce a wide variety of wines to appeal from the untrained to the most sophisticated of palates.

The Mont Tauch cooperative is based in Tuchan, the largest of the villages with an 800 strong population. It is hard not to warm to the charming residents of Tuchan, passionate about rugby and cycling and – of course – wine. Many have lived in the village their whole lives and visitors are made to feel like they are meeting a large extended family.

In order to appeal to an international market, the co-operative has incorporated this sense of warmth and the vibrant atmosphere village into the character of their wines.

Signature wines include the smooth fruity fitou, made from a blend of carignan, grenache and syrah grapes. Only nine villages are able to produce this wine and Mont Tauch exports the majority of the fitou drunk in the UK.

The growers take immense pride in the co-operative and the wines, especially Les Douze another signature blend made from the grapes produced by the 12 best cooperative growers.

Marketed to appeal to the casual Friday-night wine drinker The Village Du Sud range features characters drawn from the bustling village life surrounding the cooperative. Bistro owner Roland promotes his plummy merlot, the seductive flower seller Sophie adorns the bottle of a fruity Rose and the tour de France enthusiast “racy” Claude sells a smooth chardonnay.

The characters have caused much amusement in the village but are proving a popular way to sell the easy-drinking wines in the UK.

The wide variety of wines, which seem to taste even better once you know the back story, are a good excuse to visit the region and embark on your own wine tasting at the new Mont Tauch visitor centre.

Selected ranges of wines from Mont Tauch are available from Sainsburys, Tesco, Waitrose and the Co-op.

For more information go to www.mont-tauch.com