Home > Wine Guides > Roussillon Wine Guide Part 2

Roussillon Wine Guide Part 2

Roussillon has leapt onto the world's wine stage with its table wines; the Côtes appellations, Collioure and the more significant vin de pays, specifically Côtes Catalanes and Fenouilledes, are each graced by at least a handful of producers turning out richly flavoured and admirable wines. These wines are, in many cases, of high quality, and some are distinctive; yet although these wines are the face of the new Roussillon, it is not these that distinguish this region from others most clearly. There are many more highly individual wines, many more 'traditional' styles which reflect a winemaking heritage that sets Roussillon apart from the more northerly regions of France. These wines are presented in a diverse array of forms, from sweet or fortified, more modern fruit-driven to traditional oxidised styles. Know them, and you will know Roussillon.

Rivesaltes & Muscat de Rivesaltes

The two largest appellations, by far, are Muscat de Rivesaltes and Rivesaltes, which cover an area broadly similar to that covered by the Côtes du Roussillon; put simply, that is much of Roussillon. The two appellations have distinct styles; although both are vins doux naturels, sweet wines made using mutage. The most obvious difference is that the former is plainly made using Muscat, and tends to come in one style, sweet and strong. Rivesaltes, on the other hand, is principally Grenache Noir, and comes in a myriad different forms.

Rivesaltes is the birthplace of the vin doux naturel, a creation of Arnaud de Villeneuve, the eminent 13th Century physician. It was he who discovered the process of halting the alcoholic fermentation by the addition of spirit to the must, thus giving rise to a new breed of wine. The technique has since been employed in the production of Rivesaltes, and over the ensuing centuries there have been numerous literary references to these fortified wines, which seem to have been highly regarded. Come the development of the appellation system in the 1930s, at a time when Rivesaltes was still riding high, it came as no surprise that these wines should be one of the first to receive their own appellation. The first regulations were laid down in 1936, governing the production of sweet fortified wines from Rivesaltes, Côtes d'Agly and Côtes de Haut-Roussillon, the latter two being subsumed into the Rivesaltes appellation in 1972. Today there are 94 communes eligible to produce these wines, mostly in the Pyrénées-Orientales, although with nine situated in the Aude. The wines start off as principally red or white - although blending of red and white varieties, and subsequent barrel ageing, may influence the wine's true colour and eventual style significantly. Grenache Noir is the lead variety for the red wines, but this may be blended with a number of white varieties, including Grenache Blanc and Gris, Maccabeu and Tourbat. These latter four varieties are the basis for the white Rivesaltes, although they may be augmented by a maximum 20% of Muscat à Petits Grains and Muscat d'Alexandrie. Possible permutations include:

• Rivesaltes Grenat: a very fruit-driven and accessible style with a rich, deep colour; grenat refers to the garnet-red hue. A minimum 75% Grenache, minimum one year in wood, three months in bottle before release.
• Rivesaltes Ambre: as the name suggests, an amber hue. This is produced from the white varieties, and is then aged oxidatively in wood for at least two years, hence the deepening of the colour.
• Rivesaltes Tuilé: this wine is handled in a similar manner to the Ambre, with a minimum two years ageing in wood producing an oxidative style, but here the varieties used are red, with a minimum of 50% Grenache in the blend.
• Rivesaltes Hors d'Age: this description may be applied to the two categories immediately above, producing Ambre Hors d'Age and Tuilé Hors d'Age. Wines must have spent at least five years in wood before bottling.
• Rivesaltes Rancio: a description applied to wine that has, through élevage in wood and oxidative handling, developed the goût de rancio that typifies the wines of Rivesaltes.

Muscat de Rivesaltes, on the other hand, is a much simpler appellation. Here the high quality, small-berried Muscat à Petits Grains and the larger-berried Muscat d'Alexandrie (also known by some as the Muscat à Gros Grains) are harvested at 30 hl/ha, as is the case for Rivesaltes per se, the fermentation arrested, and the resulting sweet, fortified wine is protected from oxidation - unlike many of the Rivesaltes styles - and usually bottled soon in order to preserve fruit freshness. One or two may consider ageing their wine in wood, but these are the exceptions to the rule.

Overall, there are a myriad of styles in Rivesaltes; it is very difficult to make valid generalisations. One pertinent observation is that, with the fall from favour of these traditional styles, especially those that have an oxidised character, prices can be very attractive; occasionally very mature wines, sometimes with decades of barrel age, turn up on the market, often freshly bottled and just released. In addition, no Roussillon winemakers survive on producing solely Rivesaltes; so as a simple guide to seeking out good examples, simply follow those producers that do well with their Côtes du Roussilllon. When looking for the best wines, consider that Gérard Gauby of Domaine Gauby has produced some good examples, also Régis and son Jean Boucabeille, Marie-Pierre and Serge Baux at Mas Baux, Catherine Jeannin at Mas Cremat, Pierre Escudie at Domaine de Nidolères and Jérôme Malet at Sarda Malet. There are numerous co-operatives, frequently the sources of those mature wines that turn up now and again; some can be enjoyable and good value.

Banyuls & Maury

There is no real reason to pair these two appellations up, save perhaps that they are both small enclaves circling the much larger Rivesaltes appellations. And both are dominated by Grenache Noir.

Maury is one of the communes for Côtes du Roussillon, but is distinguished from much of Roussillon by the presence of schist, which is also found in nearby Rasiguères, Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet and Tautavel. These four communes thus qualify for the Maury appellation, setting these fortified wines apart from those of Rivesaltes. They may be white or red, in my experience the latter is more commonly encountered. Eligible varieties for the former include Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc, Maccabeu, Tourbat, augmented by a maximum 20% of Muscat à Petits Grains and Muscat d'Alexandrie. The red wines must comprise at least 75% Grenache Noir, the other principal grapes being Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc and Maccabeu, the latter not exceeding 10%. In addition, the varieties Carignan and Syrah, up to a maximum 10%, are also permitted. Both colours see twelve months in wood before bottling. The end result can be wonderful; this little known appellation, essentially championed by a single producer (although there are smaller outfits turning out some wines), yields wines of great structure and flavour. Mas Amiel is the domaine in question; there is an admirable portfolio of intensely coloured and highly flavoured wines here.

Finally, Banyuls, France's last bastion of viticulture, as just a few miles to the south is Spain. Banyuls is a sleepy fishing port, favoured by artists for the bright Mediterranean light; it is also home, together with the communes of Cerbère, Collioure and Port-Vendres, to Roussillon's final vin doux naturel. Like Maury the region is also associated with a table wine, in this case Colliure rather than Côtes du Roussillon; most local vignerons produce both styles, as is the case with many domaines across Roussillon. Unlike Maury, Banyuls only has an appellation for red wines, although as with all the Roussillon VDN appellations the permissible varieties include several that are white. Grenache dominates, comprising 50% of the blend for Banyuls, at least 75% for Banyuls Grand Cru. Others permissible include the usual Maccabeu, Tourbat and Muscats, and also Carignan, Cinsaut and Syrah, provided these do not exceed 10%. These wines may also give a lot of pleasure, and are perhaps a little better known than those of Maury; there are a couple of high-flying domaines, and even the Rhone négociant Chapoutier has a presence here. Two other domaines dominate, turning out fine Banyuls as well as superlative Collioure; Jean-Michel Parcé at Domaine du Mas Blanc and Marc Parcé at Domaine de la Rectorie.

• The End: Back to Roussillon Part 1