{"id":5267,"date":"2017-11-11T04:43:13","date_gmt":"2017-11-11T04:43:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/?p=5267"},"modified":"2017-11-16T05:42:59","modified_gmt":"2017-11-16T05:42:59","slug":"interview-wines-of-roussillon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2017\/11\/interview-wines-of-roussillon.html","title":{"rendered":"Interview: All about Wines of Roussillon"},"content":{"rendered":"

Who doesn’t love wines from France? Although Bordeaux, Champagne, and Burgundy are the better known wine regions of France, there are many others that cultivate unique grapes to deliver spectacular wines. I recently had the opportunity to sample the wines of Roussillon, a wine-producing region in Provence, Southeastern France. From crisp roses to light bodied reds, the quality of the wine is superb.<\/p>\n

I love the direct correlation that wine has with travel. The wine regions dictate which varieties of wine do best. As I can imagine myself sipping on sparkling rose in Roussillon, I wanted to know more about the region. That being said, I reached out to an expert and I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Eric Aracil<\/a>, the Deputy Director and Export Manager for the Roussillon\u00a0Wine<\/span>\u00a0Council.<\/p>\n

\"Wines<\/a>
Photo Credit: Yasuko Fujisawa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

All About Roussillon Wines: Interview with Eric Aracil<\/h2>\n

What makes the C\u00f4tes du Roussillon region so unique in regard to its wines?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Geography & Climate<\/h3>\n

Climate:<\/strong>\u00a0Wines of Roussillon are produced in the sunniest region of\u00a0France. The sunshine, combined with lots of winds provide an ideal climate that allows for growing healthy vines. Climate, diversity of vines, ambivalence between sea and mountain are geographic factors which influence the flavor profile of the wines of Roussillon. 80% of vineyards in Roussillon are on slopes.<\/p>\n

The diversity of terroirs\/microterroirs, including soils and subsoils\u00a0of Roussillon are unique in the world. Finding such a diversity of soils in such a small\/concentrated area is very rare. It produces a wide range of wines, including nearly all styles (dry reds, whites, roses, fortified sweet wines, some sparkling).<\/p>\n

Practices:<\/strong>\u00a0Roussillon producers work in artisanal ways and Roussillon is the first producer in organic and biodynamic viticulture in\u00a0France<\/p>\n

Diversity of grapes and appellations:<\/strong>\u00a024 different grape varietals allowed, including 17 dedicated to appellations<\/p>\n

Terroir<\/h3>\n

Terroir expression<\/strong>\u00a0Expression of terroir is very clear in the wines, thanks to fact that Roussillon has the smallest yield (<30hl\/hectare) in\u00a0France\u00a0and perhaps one of the smallest in the world, which allows a full expression of the terroirs through all of their parameters (soil and subsoil come through as Roussillon uses very old vines that dig very deep)<\/p>\n

I assume it’s hard to play favorites with the wines of your region, but which ones do you recommend the most?<\/h2>\n

Too difficult to play favorites, because I love everything! If I may answer differently, I would say wines of Roussillon are very attractive because you can find in each category of wine\u00a0a wide range between light to concentrated products, always with a wonderful drinkability and a pleasure to discover. The tagline \u201cInfinitely Roussillon\u201d is a reality: there are no limits in terms of what you can find and discover in Roussillon\u2019s wines.<\/p>\n