ROUSSILLON DECANTEr’S PaneL taSTING of the red wines Its history and traditions are quite different – ‘So often of Roussillon (February 2015) provoked cries it was part of Spain until the Treaty of the of outrage from many of the region’s growers. Pyrenees was signed in 1659 and its modern Roussillon is To Roussillon, Inexplicably, wines from some of the best history places it firmly in Catalonia. Perpignan names simply did not show well, so that there has more to do with Barcelona than with lumped were no Outstanding wines, and only five of the Narbonne, for the Pyrenees are not a frontier, 82 wines tasted were Highly Recommended. but a unifying link between two parts of together with As the journalist commissioned to write Catalonia. And unlike the Languedoc, its in search of finesse both the introduction and the summing up, viticultural development was based on the Languedoc, I attempted to be as diplomatic and fair as production of fortified vins doux naturels. When Rosemary George MW criticised the lack of possible; however, I was taken to task for saying The next thing to appreciate is the and this is elegance in Roussillon reds, in a Decanter panel tasting last that I found very little elegance in the line-up. extraordinary geological complexity of Clearly Roussillon deserved better than that, Roussillon – what Lionel Lavail of Domaine unfair’ year, the region’s producers threw down the gauntlet – so at the invitation of the region’s wine body I Cazes calls ‘une mosaique de terroirs’. The come and visit and we’ll change your mind, they proposed. spent five days there last autumn, to find out region is crossed by three rivers – the Agly, the Here she reports on her trip, and shares her conclusions what Roussillon is really all about. It is always Têt and the Tech – and it has mountains to good to have preconceived ideas challenged, the south, the Pyrenees, dominated by the and challenged they were. Canigou, which play a big role in determining The first thing to make clear is that the climatic conditions of the region. To the Roussillon is quite distinct from Languedoc. north are the hills of Corbières; and to the So often the two wine regions are lumped east, the sea. Alain Razungles from Domaine Photograph: Mick Rock/Cephas Mick Photograph: together, and this is clearly unfair to Roussillon. des Chênes observes that Roussillon has ➢ Above: hillside vineyards above the Côtes du Roussillon village of Caramany and the Barrage de l’Agly dam 58 | July 2016 • DECANTER DECANTER • July 2016 | 59 ROUSSILLON just about every soil type somewhere in its vineyards, with the one exception of volcanic soil. In short, as Fabrice Rieu, president of the Many facets: top Roussillon buys CIVR, the official body of the region, puts it: Domaine La Tour Vieille, Les Domaine Vial Magnères, Petit ‘Roussillon grows 23 different grape varieties Canadells, Collioure 2014 97 Couscouril, Collioure 2014 95 on 25 different soil types.’ £16.50 Yapp Bros N/A UK www.vialmagneres.fr Some oak and white blossom on A blend of Grenache Blanc, Varietal mix the nose, with a rounded, Grenache Gris and Vermentino. Grenache, in all three colours, with many satisfyingly textured palate and A fresh, sappy nose with a lovely venerable old vines, provides the backbone of hints of fennel. A touch of oak salinity on the palate. Refreshing the grape variety mix of Roussillon. Carignan, makes for structure and ageability. and elegant with great depth of also with many old vines, is important too, Drink 2016-2018 Alc 14.5% flavour. Drink 2016-2020 Alc 14% and considered by Etienne Montès of Domaine la Casenove to be ‘more aristocratic than Syrah’. Domaine de la Domaine Vaquer, L’Expression, Indeed Marjorie Gallet at Le Roc des Anges Rectorie, L’Argile, Carignan, Côtes Catalanes 2011 95 observes that she would not replant Syrah and Collioure 2014 96 £14.95 Wine Sensations that it is the truly Mediterranean varieties £28 Fields Morris & Verdin A stunning example of a pure that work best of all. Mainly Grenache Gris Carignan, from vines planted in It was the Parcé family of Banyuls that with Grenache Blanc 1936. Aged in vat, so there’s some introduced Mourvèdre to the region, inspired and including some lovely red fruit and elegant tannins, by the example of Bandol in Provence and centenarian vines. followed by a refreshing finish. their friendship with Lucien Peyraud of Lovely slatey, mineral Drink 2016-2023 Alc 13.5% Domaine Tempier, and this variety does Above: at Mas Amiel, Maury Doux sweet wines notes and very perform particularly well close to the sea. In ripen in demi-johns under the Roussillon sun well-integrated oak. A Le Roc des Anges, 1903 addition, Roussillon has its fair share of the youthful freshness on the finish. Carignan, Côtes so-called international varieties, such as Bécha near Perpignan, in his Cuvée Excellence, Drink 2016-2020 Alc 14% Catalanes 2013 95 Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, which use no wood at all, affirming simply that ‘it is N/A UK www.rocdesanges. are used for vins de pays, as well as an not necessary’. Coume del Mas, Folio, com incredible diversity of white varieties, about The wines are also tending towards lower Collioure 2014 95 Lovely example of pure which more anon. alcohol levels. At Roc des Anges the highest £22-£26 Clark Foyster, Carignan, with firm, The main focus of Roussillon is on its red vines are at 300m and north facing, closer to Hedonism, Noel Young mineral notes. It is rich table wines. Côtes du Roussillon-Villages is the the Pyrenees than to the sea, so that they enjoy Mainly Grenache Gris and powerful but with principal appellation, requiring a minimum of the effect of the cool mountain air, and lower from 1960s vines, with a an underlying freshness, two varieties, and covering 32 villages in the alcohol levels. Organic viticulture also makes little Grenache Blanc, especially on the long northern part of the department, including a for lower alcohol, according to Marjorie Gallet. Terret and Carignan finish. Drink 2016-2025 Alc 13.5% handful of named villages – Caramany, Nevertheless, the difference in temperature Blanc. Rounded, peachy Lesquerde, Latour de France and Tautavel – between Maury and the coast can be as much as fruit and white blossom Domaine Boucabeille, each with their own distinctive terroir and 5°C in the summer. Vineyards in Roussillon are nose. Textured palate, Les Orris, Côtes du character. Les Aspres, a dry, undulating influenced by either the mountains or the sea. with citrus notes and fennel. Some Roussillon 2014 94 area close to Perpignan, is about to be For Philippe Gard at Coume del Mas in Banyuls salinity, especially on the finish. £22.50 Justerini & Brooks incorporated into the Côtes du Roussillon- the côté mer has a strong vintage influence, Drink 2016-2020 Alc 14% An unusually high Villages AC as another named area. whereas the côté montagne is more regular. proportion of Maury is the newest table wine Domaine Lafage, Centenaire, Mourvèdre in the blend appellation, with vineyards on an oasis of Changing styles Côtes du Roussillon 2014 95 as it was especially black schist, making for wines with Essentially you could see two trends in the red £10-£12 All About Wine, The Drink good in 2014. Portrays intense minerality, while Collioure is the wines of Roussillon: some producers are Shop, Vin Cognito the elegance of the table wine appellation of Banyuls, with looking for greater freshness and drinkability, A classic blend of Grenache Blanc vintage with firm black wines that benefit from a tempering Nelson Maggie Map: while in other areas the grapes perform better and Roussanne. Fresh minerality fruit and fresh, peppery notes. maritime influence. Côtes du when really ripe. As a result, there are still on both nose and palate with an Nicely balanced finish. Drink Roussillon covers the southern part Left: Mas Bécha’s Cuvée Stéphane Gallet, ‘Roussillon only really has 15 people making powerful, oaky wines, while underlying salinity. Tight-knit and 2017-2025 Alc 14% of the region, while Côtes Catalanes Excellence is unoaked, years of history.’ others are searching for elegance, with a trend stony with a long finish. Youthful. is the principal vin de pays and can reflecting a move by More than one vigneron asserts that ‘we are towards lighter extraction. Drink 2016-2020 Alc 13% Mas Bécha, Classique, Côtes du be a wonderful source of originality some producers in the not standing still’. You will see modern cellars Charles Perez is one of several wine growers Roussillon-Villages 2013 94 and creativity, with its producers region towards wines equipped with the latest technology, and wine to talk about the search for drinkability, in a Domaine La Toupie, Fine Fleur, N/A UK www.masbecha.com showing a healthy disrespect for of greater freshness growers are experimenting with amphorae, style that combines ripe fruit and elegance. Côtes du Roussillon 2014 95 A blend of Syrah with Grenache some of the finer points of the concrete eggs, tronconique (tapered) vats, and Nicolas Raffy at Mas Amiel in Maury wants ripe £12.70 Joie de Vin and Mourvèdre. Lots of ripe black appellation laws. vats of other shapes, not to mention oak barrels grapes, while avoiding over-extraction, so he is A little oak on the nose and palate, fruit on both nose and palate with a There is no doubt that the wines of different sizes. These days the traditional using less wood – in particular fewer barriques but nicely integrated fruit and fresh firm backbone of tannin and a of Roussillon have seen a large wooden foudres are used for ageing the – and working less on his fermentations.