Vine was introduced in the Aude department by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. Its cultivation has been the main economic resource of the department since the 17th century. In 1681, the inauguration of the Canal du Midi gave a significant boost to the local wine sector by allowing the transport and discovery of these wines from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. After the French Revolution, the arrival of the railway made the activity all the more prosperous. Nowadays, the Aude department produces a wide variety of red, rosé, white, and sparkling wines. These contrasting wines carry various influences from the Mediterranean climate to the Atlantic.