Dry wines

Roussillon's largest production

AOP Côtes du Roussillon

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The area spans over 102 communes in the Eastern Pyrenees and covers 3,393 hectares. Shaped like a vast amphitheater with the Albères mountain range and Spain in the South, the foothills of the Canigou mountain in the West and the Corbières range in the North, its eastern side opens up onto the Mediterranean sea. Three rivers, the Agly, the Têt and the Tech, flow through it and have carved the land into hills and stacked terraces. Côtes du Roussillon were awarded their AOP certification in 1977.

Rosé and red wines are made from black Grenache, black Carignan, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Lledoner Pelut, Cinsault, Maccabeu and grey Grenache (for rosés only).
For white wines, the varietals used are white and grey Grenache, Maccabeu, Tourbat or Malvoisie du Roussillon, Roussanne, Marsanne, Vermentino. Since the 2017 harvest, Viognier and white Carignan have also been used.

Sandy granite and gneiss, with dark schist in the Fenouillèdes mountain range to the north west. Red clay limestone in the Corbières foothills, sandy clay conglomerate in the Aspres and rocky terraces along the rivers, gneiss and siliceous clay hillsides of the Albères.
Altitude ranges from 0 to 650 meters.

Côtes du Roussillon reds : wines that are full-bodied, fruity and spicy.
Côtes du Roussillon rosés : wines with fresh flavours, echoes of small red fruit and flowers.
Côtes du Roussillon whites : delicate and elegant wines, with notes of citrus, white-fleshed fruits and flowers.

Stockists for Côtes du Roussillon wines can be found on wine-seacher.com and winesofroussillon@otaria.co.uk

AOP Côtes du Roussillon Villages

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An AOP since 1997, Côtes du Roussillon Villages spans 51 communes and covers 1,653 hectares, in the north of the Eastern Pyrenees Departement. 5 “appellations communales” have achieved their own specific AOP certification:
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Caramany: Caramany, Cassagnes, Bélesta – 234 hectares – AOP in 1977
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France: Latour de France, Cassagnes, Montner, Estagel, Planèzes – 145 hectares – AOP in 1977
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Lesquerde: Lesquerde, Lansac, part of Rasiguères – 86 hectares – AOP in 1996
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel: Tautavel, Vingrau – 295 hectares – AOP in 1997
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Les Aspres: 19 communes – 122 hectares – AOP in 2017

Côtes du Roussillon Villages: black Grenache, black Carignan, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Lledoner Pelut
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Caramany: black Grenache, black Carignan, Syrah, Lledoner Pelut
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France: black Grenache, black Carignan, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Lledoner Pelut
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Lesquerde: black Grenache, black Carignan, Syrah, Lledoner Pelut
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel: black Grenache, black Carignan, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Lledoner Pelut
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Les Aspres: black Grenache, black Carignan, Syrah, Mourvèdre

Côtes du Roussillon Villages:
North of the Têt river : granitic and gneissic sandy soils, brown and black schists in the Agly valley, clay-limestone and limestone soils in the foothills of the Corbières, stony terraces.
South of the Têt river : rocky terraces mixed with yellow and red sandy clays.
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Caramany: granite and gneiss soils with an average altitude of 250 meters.
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France: mainly rocky soil of grey schist from the primary period but also red clay limestone.
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Lesquerde: a vast plateau of sandy granitic soils rich in iron and gypsum at 320 meters above sea level on average.
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel: hills with soils of limestone and limestone-clay scree
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Les Aspres: rocky terraces mixed with yellow and red sandy clays, sandwiched between the Têt and Tech rivers.

Powerful and complex, Côtes du Roussillon Villages wines are suitable for ageing.
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Caramany are supple, fresh and full-bodied, concentrated and meant to be drunk young. They boast notes of crushed, dark fruit, strong spices and a very marked taste of the garrigue expressing its terroir.
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Lesquerde are very sophisticated wines marked by notes of minerals, graphite, spices and flowers.
A terroir of garrigue and schist imparts notes of wilderness, minerality combined with sweet spices, to the wines of Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France. Red soil makes these wines complex and suitable for keeping.
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel are wines with strong, complex and persistent tannins showing notes of dark fruit, garrigue and spices. These are wines for ageing.
Côtes du Roussillon Villages Les Aspres: produce elegant wines with wild and spicy notes which are destined for ageing.

Stockists for Côtes du Roussillon Villages can be found on wine-seacher.com and winesofroussillon@otaria.co.uk
Stockists for Côtes du Roussillon Villages Caramany can be found on wine-seacher.com and winesofroussillon@otaria.co.uk
Stockists for Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France can be found on wine-seacher.com and winesofroussillon@otaria.co.uk
Stockists for Côtes du Roussillon Villages Lesquerde can be found on wine-seacher.com and winesofroussillon@otaria.co.uk
Stockists for Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel can be found on wine-seacher.com and winesofroussillon@otaria.co.uk
Stockists for Côtes du Roussillon Villages Les Aspres can be found on wine-seacher.com and winesofroussillon@otaria.co.uk

AOP Collioure

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This small jewel by the sea covers 554 hectares and 4 communes in the Eastern Pyrénées mountains: Collioure, Port-Vendres, Banyuls-sur-Mer and Cerbère. Certifications were awarded in 1971 for red, in 1991 for rosé, and in 2003 for white.

Red and Rosé wines
Main varietals: black Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre
Complementary varietals: Black Carignan, Cinsault, grey Grenache

White wines
Main varietals: white and grey Grenaches
Complementary varietals : Maccabeu, Malvoisie or Tourbat du Roussillon, Marsanne, Roussanne, Vermentino

Collioure’s vineyards overlook the Mediterranean sea from a balcony of grey schist dating back from the primary (Cambrian) era. Ravines and hills alternate in rolling waves and vines are established on very narrow terraces. The combination of these unique soils, intense sunlight, and proximity to the sea, makes for a very special micro-climate.

Collioure Red: range from ample, fresh and fruity wines, alive with notes of pit-fruits and the air of the sea, to rich and complex wines with the aroma of spices and ripening fruits.
Collioure Rosé : fresh, strong wines, with complex notes of small, red fruits and minerals.
Collioure White : rich wines, intense, with notes of flowers, aniseed and minerals.

Stockists for Collioure wines can be found on wine-seacher.com and winesofroussillon@otaria.co.uk

AOP Maury Sec

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Located nortwest of Perpignan, the 165 hectares of vineyards producing Maury Sec are part of 4 communes, Maury, Tautavel, Saint-Paul de Fenouillet and Rasiguères. Until recently, the Maury appellation was reserved for its Vins Doux Naturels but in 2011, production included dry wine and a new AOP certification was awarded.

Main varietal: black Grenache
Complementary varietals: black Carignan, Mourvèdre, Syrah
Accessory varietal : Lledoner Pelut

The Maury vineyard spreads across hills of schist and black marl on slopes encircled by garrigue.

Dark, rich, strong and full of flavour, Dry Maury wines are notable for their notes of dark fruits combined with garrigue. They are distinguished in the mouth by their full body and structured tannins from a minimal period of ageing. Good structure and balance allow for very good ageing potential.

Stockists for Maury Sec wines can be found on wine-seacher.com and winesofroussillon@otaria.co.uk

IGP Côtes Catalanes and IGP Côte Vermeille

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IGP Côtes Catalanes wines are produced from 4,230 hectares of vines planted in 118 communes in the department of the Eastern Pyrenees.
IGP Côte Vermeille wines are produced in Banyuls-sur-Mer, Cerbère, Collioure, Port-Vendres on a vineyard of 19 hectares.

Both IGPs use the following varietals:
Red and rosé wines: mainly black Grenache, black Carignan, Cinsault, Lledoner Pelut, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chenanson, Marselan.
White wines : mainly white and grey Grenaches, Maccabeu, Malvoisie or Tourbat du Roussillon, Marsanne, Roussanne, Vermentino, Muscat d’Alexandrie, Muscat petits grains, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier.

Varied terroirs:
IGP Côtes Catalanes grow all over the Eastern Pyrenees.
Côte Vermeille vines grow on terraced slopes facing the sea, between Collioure and Cerbère. Soil is grey schist of the Cambrian period.

IGP Côtes Catalanes red: light, easy-to-drink or full-bodied strong wines.
IGP Côtes Catalanes rosés: fresh wines with echoes of small red fruit and flowers.
IGP Côtes Catalanes white: light, delicate or concentrated wines, their flavour, richness and structure generally reflect the varietals used to make them.
IGP Côte Vermeille red: light, easy-to-drink wines.
IGP Côte Vermeille rosés : light, fresh wines.
IGP Côte Vermeille whites: full, fresh wines.

Wines that carry the mention “rancio”, white or red at the start, end up, in time, with a deep amber colour, sometimes walnut, with characteristic gold undertones and typical notes of dried fruit, walnuts and almonds.

Stockists for IGP Côtes Catalanes wines can be found on wine-seacher.com and winesofroussillon@otaria.co.uk

Stockists for IGP Côte Vermeille wines can be found on wine-seacher.com and winesofroussillon@otaria.co.uk