Côtes du Roussillon

The Côtes du Roussillon vineyards stretch between the Corbières massif and the Pyrenees, covering more than 5,600 hectares in 118 communes of the Pyrénées-Orientales region. Of this appellation, 32 communes are eligible for the Côtes du Roussillon Villages appellation, which produces red wines only. Within this latter appellation, four lieux-dits are particularly distinguished and benefit from a specific appellation: Côtes du Roussillon Villages "Caramany", Côtes du Roussillon Villages "Lesquerde", Côtes du Roussillon Villages "Tautavel" and Côte du Roussillon Villages "Latour de France", the latter covering the five communes of Latour de France, Cassagnes, Montner, Estagel and Planèzes.

The Côtes du Roussillon and Côtes du Roussillon Villages vineyards occupy geologically diverse soils and subsoils (limestone, clay-limestone, schist, gneiss, granite, alluvial terraces, etc.) in five main areas: the Agly valley (to the north), the Têt valley (in the center), the Tech valley (to the south) and the Salanque plain, bordering the Mediterranean (to the east).

Production is around 175,000 hectolitres a year, of which 30% are reds, 65% rosés and 4% whites, made from traditional Roussillon grape varieties (Grenache noir and blanc, Carignan, Lladoner Pelut, Cinsault, Macabeu, Malvoisie du Roussillon) and more recently introduced aromatic varieties (Syrah, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Marsanne, Vermentino). Côtes du Roussillon red wines are fleshy, fruity and spicy. Rosés feature fresh aromas of red berries and floral notes. White wines are fine and delicate, with notes of citrus, white-fleshed fruit and floral scents. To get the most out of these blends, let's take a closer look at the wines offered by Domaine Sarda-Malet. In the Côtes du Roussillon Villages appellation, excellent examples of the quality of the terroirs can be found at Domaine du Clos des Fées, Mas Karolina, Mas Amiel, Domaine Gardiès and Maison M. Chapoutier.