📍 Roussillon
The Catalan corner of France, known for vins doux naturels.
Roussillon is the Catalan corner of France, by the Spanish border and the Mediterranean Sea. It is known for its natural sweet wines. It is a warm region with a lot of sun, where the Pyrenees mountains are close to the coast.
Natural sweet wines are made like this: wine spirit is added to the fermenting wine, and sugar stays in it. Banyuls, Rivesaltes, Maury and Muscat de Rivesaltes are such wines. The Banyuls area lies on slopes by the sea, in the Côte Vermeille. Dry wines are also made here: Collioure and Côtes du Roussillon.
The main grapes are Grenache (black, grey and white), Carignan, Macabeu and Lledoner Pelut. Catalan names, such as garnacha roja (red Grenache), are a reminder that the region is close to Spain.
Roussillon is part of the large Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Both sweet and dry wines are made here, and they are very different in style. As with any alcohol, they should be drunk in moderation.
Links
- Part of
- 📍 Languedoc-Roussillon
- Appellations
- 📜 Côtes Catalanes, 📜 Grand Roussillon, 📜 Rivesaltes, 📜 Banyuls, 📜 Collioure, 📜 Côte Vermeille, 📜 Côtes du Roussillon, 📜 Maury, 📜 Banyuls grand cru, 📜 Côtes du Roussillon Villages, 📜 Muscat de Rivesaltes
- Grapes
- 🍇 Tourbat, 🍇 Grenache Blanc, 🍇 Garnacha Roja, 🍇 Carignan Blanc, 🍇 Carignan, 🍇 Macabeo, 🍇 Lledoner Pelut, 🍇 Carignan Gris, 🍇 Grenache
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Banyuls, 🍷 Rivesaltes
Frequently asked questions
What is Roussillon known for?
Natural sweet wines (Banyuls, Rivesaltes, Maury) and also dry reds such as Collioure.
Which grapes grow in Roussillon?
Grenache (black, grey, white), Carignan, Macabeu, Lledoner Pelut and others.
Where is Roussillon?
In southern France, by the Spanish border, on the Mediterranean coast, part of Languedoc-Roussillon.
Sources
- Wikipedia (en): French wine
- Wikipedia (fr): Viticulture en France
- INAO
- eAmbrosia – EU geographical indications register
- Wikipedia (en): Roussillon