The Local Wines

France's Premier Wine Region

Languedoc-Roussillon is France's largest wine-growing region, representing more than one-third of the country's total vineyard area. In recent years, it has emerged as an exciting wine producer, with new growths, new wines, and a new sense of importance among wine lovers.

Leading this revolution are the vins de pays - or country wines - whose labels always bear "Vin de Pays", followed by the name of the area, department, or region from with they come. These wines are becoming increasingly important, with such world-class varieties as Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The region is also an important producer of vins de table - every day table wines - that accompany most French meals. Sold under a brand name, the vins de tables are blends of grapes from all regions of France with a significant percentage coming from the Languedoc-Roussillon.

The more distinguished A.O.C. red wines come from, among others, the Côte du Roussillon hillside villages of the eastern Pyrénées Mountains, the Corbières foothills and mountains, the Fitou Mediterranean coast-line, and the Minervois rugged inland country-side. Languedoc-Roussillon is also known for its vins doux naturels - naturel sweet wines - such as Muscat de Rivesaltes, Muscat de Frontignan and Banyuls.

There are 13 local wines with Appellation d'Origine Contrôlées (AOC) - a mark guaranteeing the quality of wine.

The AOC Roussillon wines cover an area of 25,400 hectares of vines, and account for an average annual production of 744,000 hectolitres.

Of these, seven are dry wines: Collioure , Côtes du Roussillon, Côtes du Roussilln Villages and Côtes de Roussillon Villages Carmaany/Tautavel/Lesquerde/La Tour de France.

And six are Vins Doux Naturels - natural sweet wines - Rivesaltes, Muscat de Rivesaltes, Maury, Banyuls, Banyuls Grand Cru and Grand Roussillon.

The Natural Sweet Wines - VDN
The Rivesaltes wines are produced from a limited designated area of vines over 86 communities in the Pyrenees Orientales, and 9 in the Aude region.

There are four types of Rivesaltes : young Reds, Ambrés, Tuilés and Hors d' Age (at least 5 years old).
The Maury wines are either reds or Tuilés.
The Banyuls wines come from the same area as the Collioure wines.
The Banyuls are mainly reds or Tuilés ; and a few whites The Grand Cru is reserved for exceptional wines. The Muscat de Rivesaltes is a white wine and is produced in 90 communities of the Pyrenees Orientales, and four in the Aude region.
The Grand Roussillon is a regional specification and applies to the Natural Sweet Wines.

The natural sweet wines are transformed by a procedure discovered by Arnau de Vilanova, who lived during the reign of the kings of Majorca (13th century). The method stops the fermentation process by the addition of pure alcohol, thus allowing the natural sugar and aromas within the grapes to become enhanced, naturally, in the wine.

The Natural Sweet Wines may only be produced from the following varieties : Grenache (black, white or grey), Macabeu, Malvoisie, and Muscats (Alexandrie and Petit Grains). The maximum yield authorised is 30 hectolitre per hectare.

Dry wines
The Côtes du Roussillon wines, reds, whites and rosés are produced south of the river Têt over an area of 4850 hectares, with a maximum yield limited to 50 HL per hectare.

The red wines are produced from the grape varieties of Carignan, Grenache Noir, Lladoner Pelut, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Macabeu. The grapes are steeped, naturally or with the addition of carbonic gas, and some are matured in oak casks.

For the rosé wines, the grape varieties are identical. The most common method for the rosés, is a partial steeping, with the grape skins, which allows some of the red tannin to colour the wine, and then the skins are removed.

The whites are made from Macabeu, Malvoisie, Genache Blanc, Roussane, Marsanne and Vermentino or Rolle. The methods commonly used are maceration with grape skins or by direct pressing of the grapes. The wine is matured occasionally in barrels.

The Côtes de Roussillon Villages are reds made from an area north of the river Têt , right up to the limits of the Corbières foothills. The maximum yield is 45 HL/hectare. There are 32 communities covered by this wine label, four of which have earned an extra distinction, whereby the name of the village is added to the title Côtes de Roussillon Villages: Tautavel, La Tour de France, Caramany and Lesquerde.

The Collioure wines are reds and rosés. The wines are limited to the villages of Port Vendres, Collioure, Banyuls and Cerbere. The Collioure wines are made from Grenache Noir and Syrah.

(Information From Regional Tourist Offices)

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