Roussillon

Question 1

Size

Answer 1

21,000ha
Roughly half the size as in 1980
70% AOC
25% VDN

Question 2

Wine Business

Answer 2

75% coop
Increasing trend towards high quality
Some newcomers increasing quality: Thunevin-Calvet from Bordeaux and Dom de Bila-Haut by Chapoutier
80% sold in France; China, Germany, Belgium for export

Question 3

Climate

Answer 3

War, windy, Mediterranean
Moderate rainfall of 500mm - 600mm
High sunshine hours
Frequent winds and low rainfall help to reduce fungal diseases
Also reduce yields. Drought can be an issue

Question 4

Grape Varieties

Answer 4

Grenache 23%
Syrah 16%
Carignan 14%
Muscat Blanc 10%
Muscat Alexandria 7%
Macabeu 7%

Question 5

Vineyard Management

Answer 5

Historically bush vines and many remain
Well adapted to the climate, provide shade, but all worked by hand
Recently on trellises, but not as much flat land as in Languedoc
15% Organic due to the warm relatively dry conditions

Question 6

Appellations

Answer 6

Cotes du Roussillon AOC
Cotes du Roussillon Villages AOC
Collioure AOC
IGP Cotes Catalanes

Question 7

Cotes du Roussillon

Answer 7

5,000 ha
Includes entire departement of Pyrenees Orientales except Collioure
On lower slopes of 100 - 250m
Red, Rose, White
Max yield of 48 hl/ha
Carignan, Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah
Max of 50% Carignan in the vineyard
Syrah and Mourvedre separately or together min 25% in vineyard
Wines must be min 2 varieties with any one limited at 80%
Similar to Languedoc AOC

Question 8

Cotes du Roussillon Villages

Answer 8

Less than half the size of Cotes du Roussillon
On slopes of 100 - 400
altitude is a cooling influence for greater acidity
More work done by hand
Max yield 45 hl/ha though yields are often well below due to hot dry climate
For red only
Wines must be min 2 varieties with any one limited at 80%
Villages may add name i.e. Cotes du Roussillon Tautavel AOC
Lower yields of 42hl/ha for these
Some require Carignan to be made with carobonic to promote primary fruit and reduce tannin
Similar to Languedoc sub appellations

Question 9

Collioure

Answer 9

Small appellation along the coast and Spanish border
Same boundaries and Banyuls for VDN
Full bodied red and white wines
Steep terraces above the Mediterranean
Reds are mainly GSM
Whites are mainly Grenache Gris
Max is 40hl/ha which is rarely achieved
Typically 20 - 25 due to heat, low rain, poor soils
High concentration with quality of Languedoc sub appellations

Question 10

IGP

Answer 10

Cotes Catalanes
Covers the Pyrenees Orientales departement
Red and white wine
A few super premium such as Dom. Gauby

Question 11

Winemaking

Answer 11

Reds are either press and ferment on skins or Carbonic