The wine-growing region The Côtes du Roussillon vineyard extends over 118 communes in the Pyrénées-Orientales. It cover about 4,800 hectares divided into five major areas: the Agly, Têt and Tech valleys, Aspres and Albères and a strip lying along the Mediterranean coastline. The soils and subsoils vary greatly: limestone, clay and limestone, shale, gneiss, granite, alluvial terraces... The name "Côtes du Roussillon Villages" is reserved for the red wine produced in 32 selected communes to the north of the department. These 2,000 hectares of vines cling on to steep hillsides or grow on terraces along the banks of the Agly, Verdouble or Maury.
Vineyard in the Albères foothills

Vine varieties Traditional Roussillon varieties (Grenache noir and blanc, Carignan, Lladoner Pelut, Cinsault, Macabeu and Malvoisie du Roussillon) are complemented by more recently planted vines with headier aromas (Syrah, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Marsanne and Vermentino).

Grenache noir

		A wine waiter's tips... Both Côtes du Roussillon and Côtes du Roussillon Villages red wines go with the same dishes: delicatessen, white or red meat, game, cow's cheese. Red Côtes du Roussillon is also a good choice to accompany mixed salad or in a red wine sauce, but use the Villages wine for stew. During hot weather, serve red Côtes du Roussillon wine chilled to around 14 degrees. In autumn or winter, serve them a few degrees warmer (17 to 18°C). Rosé wine: supple, fruity and pithy. The rosé is of a deep, intense colour which sparkles and its original flavour hints of cherry, plum and liquorice. Serve as an aperitif or with fish soup, mixed salad, shellfish, seafood or fish.

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