Roussillon

The wine-growing region lies deep in the south of France and is the southern part of the huge Languedoc-Roussillon area (see history there). The first muscatel grapes were cultivated here, which were used as the basis for the famous fortified sweet wines. The famous doctor and scholar Arnaldus de Villanova (1240-1311) is considered the inventor of the vin doux naturel, as it is called today. Although they are also produced in the neighbouring Languedoc to the north-east, Roussillon accounts for around 90%. For four centuries it was part of the Kingdom of Mallorca and only became part of France in 1659. The viticulture is therefore relatively strongly marked by Spanish influence, among other things in terms of grape varieties.

The region is surrounded by the three mountain ranges Corbières in the north, Canigou in the west and Albères on the border with Spain in the south. The vineyards are up to 600 metres high on slopes facing the Mediterranean and cover 22,600 hectares of vines in the Pyrénées-Orientales department. The wines are characterised by the Mediterranean climate. Roussillon is mainly a red wine and rosé wine region. The red wines are made from Carignan Noir (Mazuelo) with about half of the vineyard area, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache Noir (Garnacha Tinta) and Merlot, the white wines from the varieties Muscat Blanc, Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc (Garnacha Blanca), Marsanne, Piquepoul (Folle Bl anche) and Roussanne.

• Banyuls, Banyuls Grand Cru, Banyuls Grand Cru Rancio, Banyuls Rancio
• Côtes du Roussillon, Côtes du Roussillon-Villages with four Cru communes
• Collioure
• Côtes Catalanes (IGP)
• Grand Roussillon, Grand Roussillon Rancio
• Languedoc
• Maury, Maury Rancio
• Muscat de Rivesaltes
• Pays d'Oc (IGP)
• Pyrénées-Orientales (IGP)
• Rivesaltes, Rivesaltes Rancio
• Terres du Midi (IGP)