📜 Côtes du Roussillon

Côtes du Roussillon is a French protected designation of origin (AOC, PDO) for still dry red, rosé and white wines from the department of Pyrénées-Orientales. It has been in the EU register since 18 September 1973. According to the specification, the name was created on 3 October 1972 by merging three earlier designations, and the wines became an AOC on 28 March 1977.

All three colours are always blends of at least two grape varieties. In red and rosé wines the largest variety, which must be a main variety, makes up at most 80% of the blend and secondary varieties at most 30%. In white wines, Grenache Blanc, Macabeu and Tourbat (Malvoisie du Roussillon) together must make up at least 50%, and secondary varieties at most 10%. The specification names Grenache, Carignan, Mourvèdre and Syrah among the red varieties.

Grapes are harvested and the wines made in listed municipalities of Pyrénées-Orientales, in an amphitheatre open to the Mediterranean and bounded by the Canigou, Albera and Corbières massifs.

The minimum natural alcoholic strength is 12% vol for red and rosé wines and 11.5% for white wines. Red wines have at most 0.4 g/l of malic acid. Fermentable sugar is at most 3 g/l for reds up to 14% natural strength, 4 g/l for stronger reds, and 4 g/l for rosés and whites. The maximum yield is 58 hl/ha. Minimum planting density is 4,000 vines per hectare. Wines may be put on the market for consumers from 15 December of the harvest year.