50Shades of
Vines & Wines of Roussillon
Grenache!
Planning a wine-filled European vacation this year, but can’t decide whether to go to Spain or France? No problem – the answer is Roussillon, where Spain and France are joined at the hip. Officially part of the Languedoc-Roussillon region, its epicenter is the city of Perpignan, located just one and a half hours north of Barcelona and 135 miles southwest of Marseille. This wine-lover’s paradise in the Pyrénées-Orientales was once part of Catalonia, Spain, and this is reflected in the region’s Catalan dialect, food, and its magnificent Roussillon wines. Simply put, Perpignan embodies all aspects of the Catalan lifestyle. Story Christopher J. Davies, Edited by Natalie Guinovart, Photos by Christopher J. Davies and Darcy Davies Roussillon is an Old World region guided by energetic, young, and progressive winemakers who respect their vines and nature. The cuisine is logically Mediterranean, featuring ultra-fresh seafood, plump with tapas, gazpacho, organic vegetables and rustic meat dishes. Perpignan is home to a diverse array of high quality restaurants serving up both traditional and modern takes on the Catalan culinary scene.
Roussillon is a boutique wine region, accounting for just 2% of France’s overall wine production. Utilizing a host of native grape varieties such as Grenache (Noir, Blanc, and Gris), Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Carignan, Roussillon produces an impressive and robust range of dry red, white, and rosé wines in the Côtes du Roussillon appellation, and rich, spicy reds in the Côtes du Roussillon Villages appellation, which may appendage a qualifying village name to the label.
This ancient growing area is one of the sunniest regions in France. It’s extremely dry with an annual average rainfall of 22 inches, 40% less than Bordeaux. The Mediterranean Sea and Pyrénées Mountains converge in Roussillon, and its amphitheater shape traps the seven strong winds that influence the area. This provides a cool, dry environment for grapevines, ensuring a long, steady ripening season which grapes require to produce the best quality wine.
The region is also famous for its Vins Doux Naturels (VDN for short), which are fortified sweet wines found in the appellations of Banyuls, Maury, and Rivesaltes, with styles ranging from white, red, oxidized, and non-oxidized. The Banyuls appellation even has a Grand Cru status for their best wines, which age into immensely complex beauties. It can be said that VDN’s are France’s delicious alternative to Port. Banyuls also produces formidable dry wines labeled and sold under the Collioure appellation.
View from Domaine La Tour Vielle
Spring 2013
WINE COUNTRY INTERNATIONAL
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