Côtes du Roussillon Villages

The Côtes du Roussillon Villages AOC was officially declared on March 28, 1977, making it one of the foundational appellations of Roussillon. Caramany and Latour de France were the original named crus at launch. Lesquerde and Tautavel were added in subsequent years, and Les Aspres joined the roster in 2015, completing the current lineup of five crus by 2017. The appellation covers 32 communes in the northern part of Pyrénées-Orientales, centred around the Agly River valley.

• Declared AOC status on March 28, 1977
• Caramany and Latour de France were the founding named crus
• Les Aspres added in 2015; full cru lineup finalised by 2017
• Sub-appellation of the broader Côtes du Roussillon AOP

The appellation spans elevations from 100 to 400 metres across a diverse mosaic of soils. Each of the five crus has a distinct geological character: Latour de France sits on schist, Caramany on gneiss and granite, Lesquerde on granite arenas at altitudes above 300 metres, and Tautavel on clay-limestone. Stony terraces feature across other parts of the zone. The Mediterranean climate delivers more than 2,500 hours of sunshine per year, while the Tramontane wind moderates temperatures and reduces disease pressure.

• Schist soils in Latour de France; gneiss and granite in Caramany
• Lesquerde: granitic soils at 300m+, smallest cru at just 30 hectares
• Tautavel: clay-limestone soils, largest cru by production volume
• Tramontane wind and intense sun define the Mediterranean growing conditions

Côtes du Roussillon Villages is a red-wine-only appellation built around Grenache Noir, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre, and Lladoner Pelut. At least two varieties must appear in every blend. Carignan is capped at 60% of the blend, encouraging the complementary richness of Grenache and the structure of Syrah or Mourvèdre. Lladoner Pelut, a local mutation of Grenache, adds a distinctive Catalan character to some bottlings.

• Five permitted varieties: Grenache Noir, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Lladoner Pelut
• Minimum of two grape varieties required in every blend
• Carignan limited to a maximum of 60% of the blend
• Lladoner Pelut is a Catalan variant of Grenache Noir

Each of the five crus operates within distinct boundaries and production scales. Caramany covers 200 hectares and produces around 6,000 hl per year from gneiss-granite soils. Latour de France is smaller at 160 hectares and 2,300 hl/year, with schist the defining soil type. Lesquerde is the most intimate cru at just 30 hectares and 1,000 hl/year, with altitude and granite soils setting it apart. Tautavel is the largest by volume, producing 7,800,9,460 hl/year from 301 hectares of clay-limestone. Les Aspres, added in 2015, rounds out the group. Tautavel and Les Aspres wines reach market from October 1 of the year following the vintage; all other Villages wines are released from February 15.

• Caramany: 200 ha, ~6,000 hl/year, gneiss-granite soils
• Latour de France: 160 ha, ~2,300 hl/year, schist soils
• Lesquerde: 30 ha, ~1,000 hl/year, granite at 300m+ altitude
• Tautavel: 301 ha, up to 9,460 hl/year, clay-limestone; released October 1

Côtes du Roussillon Villages produces full-bodied reds with deep colour, intense red fruit, garrigue, and spice. The tannic structure is firm, backed by the fruity complexity that comes from the blend of Mediterranean varieties. Wines are built for aging, with a typical window of 4,8 years. Production regulations require minimum aging to September 15 of the year following harvest before release, with stricter timelines for Tautavel and Les Aspres.

• Full-bodied reds with deep colour, red fruit, garrigue, and spice
• Firm tannic structure suitable for 4,8 years of cellaring
• Minimum aging to September 15 following harvest required
• Tautavel and Les Aspres released October 1; others from February 15