The future is white
Jason Millar reports on Roussillon’s potential for world-class whites
As drinking patterns move away from red to white, the intense, textural quality of the Roussillon whites is turning out to be an unexpected and unsung hero in the region.
If asked to name the most unlikely place in France for the production of great white wines, Roussillon would be a good contender. Tucked into the Mediterranean curve that joins France to Spain, its hot, sunny, dry Mediterranean climate is ideal for the production of rich red, which are the majority of the region’s production, or the impressive Vin Doux Naturel wines which represent the historical output of the area.
It is a surprising place to look for quality whites which really stand out for their distinctiveness. There is an intense textural quality to the wines of Roussillon that inspires comparison with top Côte d’Or blanc and Chablis. One of the most characteristic features of many of Roussillon’s best whites is that they come from vines on the higher parts of the hills, with deep roots and careful soil management aiding in the retention of low pH in the final wines, and adding an unexpected freshness and tension despite technically low acidities.
Thirty years ago only 10% of Roussillon’s wine production was dry and white. Today around 38% of the region’s 23,000 hectares are white grapes. A wide range of grapes are important both for quality and volume: Grenache/Carignan white and grey, Muscats d’Alexandrie & à petits grains, Macabeu, Malvoisie de Roussillon or Tourbat, Rolle or Vermentino, Chardonnay, Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier and Sauvignon blanc.
This wide range of white varieties contrasts sharply with France’s more famous controlled white wine districts in Burgundy, the Loire and Bordeaux and makes Roussillon one of the more dynamic of France’s wine regions. Four appellations are used for the bottling of dry white wines: IGP Côtes Catalanes, IGP Côte Vermeille, AOP Côtes du Roussillon and AOP Collioure.
With indications of declining red wine consumption, could white Roussillon be an important area of interest over the coming decades? Any changes will come slowly and take years to implement so for now the producers are on their own. Jonathan Hesford at Domaine Treloar is positive. “I’d say the future is bright. The top wines should really be priced alongside the best whites of the Rhône. There is also a vibrant scene for natural and orange wines in the region to complement the more traditional styles.“
Read Jason Millar’s full article for The Buyer here.
