Roussillon Red Wines

Roussillon is above all known for its natural sweet wines

Such as Rivesaltes and Muscat de Rivesaltes, Maury, Banyuls and Banyuls Grand Cru, these VDNs represent 80% of the volumes of wine produced. But it is indeed Catalan red screws from Roussillon in question. Roussillon also offers fine white wines and rosé wines.
The Roussillon vineyard is located at the southern end of France in the extension of the Languedoc vineyard to the south of the Corbières. This is the region that enjoys the best sunshine in France. the result is powerful, heady red wines, a bit like the Catalan way of playing rugby at 15 or 13...
Over the past 30 years, the red wines of Roussillon have won their letters of nobility, as the general quality has improved. Average yields are around 30 to 35 hectoliters per hectare, which favors the quality of the wines. What is characteristic is that this movement to increase quality was initially carried by the cooperative movement. Almost every main village has its coop cellar or group of cellars. Then in the 90s estates, winegrowers and merchants organized themselves to distribute these wines. Let us note for example the immense work done by Gérard Bertrand, Jeff Carrel, Michel Chapoutier, Calmel and Jospeh or even Hervé Bizeul, the Clos des Vins d'Amour, the Clos de l'Evêché and the Lafage estate. Many estates are also converting to organic, but it is also the plowing work in the vines that is to be welcomed.ssillon Red Wines.

Here is the list of some appellations, AOC, AOP or IGP which produce red wines in Roussillon

The AOC Collioure with its vines by the sea, the dry red Maury, the Côtes du Roussillon, the Côtes du Roussillon Villages which are subdivided into 4 sub-municipal appellations, Côtes du Roussillon Villages Caramany, Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France located between the villages of Têt and Agly. Côtes du Roussillon Villages Lesquerde and Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel, a village also known for the prehistoric discovery of Tautavel man in 1971. The discovery of a fossilized skull 450,000 years old. But also the Roussillon IGP such as the Côtes Catalanes IGP, the Côte Vermeille IGP and the Oc IGP.

What are the main grape varieties that make the red wines of Roussillon ?

The black carignan that likes arid lands. Grenache Noir, a great base variety for other blends. Lladoner, a traditional endemic grape variety less and less cultivated, whose characteristics merge with those of Grenache.
Mourvèdre and Syrah for their tannic and aromatic qualities.