The Côtes du Roussillon AOC covers certain dry wines—red, white, and rosé—produced in the Roussillon region located in the south of France. The appellation—located on the eastern side of the Pyrénées-Orientales department—enjoys a warm, Mediterranean climate and is described as a vast, east-facing amphitheater surrounded on three sides by mountains and on one side by the sea. Wine has been produced in the area since (at least) 600 BCE.
The Côtes du Roussillon AOC is a broad appellation approved for the production of dry, still (non-sparkling) red, white and rosé wines. The appellation’s cahier des charges (list of rules and regulations) has recently (as of November 2023) been given a detailed (complicated) update. While some of these changes may seem minor—such as moving accessory grapes to the list of principal grapes and small changes to allowed or required components of a blend—inquiring wine students will want to take note of the following:
- Changes that apply to the white wines of the Côtes du Roussillon AOC:
- A maximum upper limit of 10 % for accessory varieties has been introduced
- Two varieties—Viognier and Carignan Blanc—have been approved as accessory varieties
- Change that applies to the red wines of the Côtes du Roussillon AOC:
- Accessory grapes may now comprise up to 30% of the total blend (previously, the maximum was 20%)
- Changes that apply to the rosé wines of the Côtes du Roussillon AOC:
- Grenache Gris is now a principal grape (it was previously an accessory grape)
- Carignan and Mourvèdre are now accessory grapes (they were previously principal grapes)
- Accessory grapes may now comprise up to 30% of the total blend (previously, the maximum was 20%)
- The (combined) minimum percentage for the main grape varieties (Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah) has been reduced from 80% to 70%.
Considering the inclusion of these changes to the rules of the appellation, the wines of the are now defined as follows:
- The white wines of the Côtes du Roussillon AOC:
- Principal varieties: Grenache balance, Macabeu, Tourbat/Malvoisie du Roussillon
- Accessory varieties: Grenache Gris, Marsanne, Roussanne, Vermentino, Viognier, Carignan Blance
- Must contain at least two grape varieties
- No single grape may make up more than 80% of the total blend
- Grenache Blanc, Macabeu, and Tourbat/Malvoisie du Roussillon—separately or combined—must comprise at least 50% of the blend
- Accessory varieties may comprise a maximum (combined) of 10% of the blend
- The red wines of the Côtes du Roussillon AOC:
- Principal varieties: Carignan, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, Syrah
- Accessory varieties: Cinsault, Lledoner Pelut
- Must contain at least two grape varieties
- No single grape may make up more than 80% of the total blend
- Accessory varieties may comprise a maximum (combined) of 30% of the blend
- The rosé wines of the Côtes du Roussillon AOC:
- Principal varieties: Grenache Noir, Grenache Gris, Syrah
- Accessory varieties: Carignan, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Lledoner Pelut, Macabeu
- Must contain at least two grape varieties
- No single grape may make up more than 80% of the total blend
- Accessory varieties may comprise a maximum (combined) of 30% of the blend
We warned you it was complicated!
References/for more information:
Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org