The name goes back to the medieval Roussillon county Rosselló, the former capital of Perpignan and today is the administrative seat of the department. Rosselló was next Vallespir, Conflent, Capcir, Alta Cerdanya and Fenouillèdes one of six historic districts nordkatalanischen (comarques)

the beginning of the 9th Century by the Emperor Charles the Great had been founded as part of the Spanish market to defend the Frankish kingdom against the Moors. The territory was part of 12 to 17 Century Spain, Northern Catalonia until after the French-Spanish war in the wake of the Pyrenees, peace came to France in 1659. Except for the Fenouillèdes comarques were summarized the historical province of Roussillon, which was united after the French revolution in 1790 with the department of Pyrenees-Orientales Fenouillèdes. 1960 came from five departments, the Languedoc-Roussillon. The Catalan culture, language and mentality can be found everywhere even today in the Roussillon, and also in the wine are similarities to the neighbors across the Pyrenees clearly visible.

Origin of wines: landscape, climate, soil

At the eastern foot of the Canigou mountain range in the river valleys of the Tet and Tech widen to a very fertile plain. Fruit and vegetable fields dominate the picture. Vineyards and olive groves – punctuated by wild Garriguelandschaft – are found mainly in the arid, hilly hinterland. At the northern lagoon shore to the South to the Spanish border in the rugged Vermilion – goal of many artists such as Matisse and Derain.

In Roussillon Mediterranean climate with an annual average temperature of 15 degrees and an average of 2,600 sunshine hours per hours per year. This makes the region one of the hottest areas of France. The average rainfall is in at 577 millimeters, but it is not distributed evenly throughout the year: time for spring and autumn heavy rains fall, while the plants have to withstand a severe drought in the summer. Even during the “rainy season” strong winds make sure that the soil and the vines dry quickly, so that the decay hazard is low and any chemical means of disease control must be used: the cold, dry Tramontane from the northwest, the warm, moist marinade East-southeast – that is from the sea – and the warm, dry wind from the Spanish south-southwest. This Mediterranean, windy climate and the very dry summer period reliably ensure healthy and ripe grapes.

The soils in the Roussillon are rather scarce, but consist of many different surfaces – clay, lime and limestone over shale, gneiss, granite and gravel to alluvial terraces. The different terroir are reflected in the often contradict each defined appellations.

Background of the wines: Areas, volumes, varieties

The history of the Roussillon wine can be traced back to Celtic and Greek times. In the past 30 years, but production increased steadily. The income of the eligible acreage to an altitude of 600 meters, reaching vineyards has decreased from 58,000 hectares in 1980 to 24,000 hectares in 2010 and with around 31 hectoliters per hectare, the average yield in the Roussillon is already rather small. The department of Pyrenees-Orientales is all wine-producing departments with two percent of the national volume of the ninth. Here, however, 80 percent of the natural sweet wines (Vins Doux Naturels) are produced in France.

Both the reduction in surface area and the relatively low amount of income after all, promote the quality of wine. The region relies on quality rather than quantity, and especially in the dry wine has the weight shifted over the past 20 years in favor of wines with a protected designation of origin. Due to strong sunlight, the Roussillon wines, however, tend quickly to a more expansive fruit and present themselves in many cases strong and very soft. So they – especially from high altitude vineyards less – do not get mundane and plump, diligent work in the vineyard and cellar is required.

The Roussillon is mainly for red and rosé wines and for its sweet wines known. Here are the grape varieties typical of the Mediterranean – as predominantly red Grenache Noir (23%), Syrah (16.7%), Carignan (14.1%) and Mourvèdre (3.3%) as white Muscat à Petits primarily grains (10.4%), Muscat of Alexandria (8.1%), Macabeo (7.4%), Grenache (4.8%) and Grenache Gris (3.6%).

Classification of Wines: IGP, AOP, VDN
The new EU wine regime that applies changes since 2009, including the wine labeling law in the Member States. Quality wines to wines with protected designation of origin (PDO), country wines to wines with protected geographical indication (PGI), table wines to wines without a protected designation of origin. The latter are called in France “Vin de France”, and it is the association responsible Anivin de France. The Administration for those with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO and PGI) is up to the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine (INAO). Must be implemented by 2014, the wine market reform in France completely, then only allowed from the new terms are used.

Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)
Wines with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), previously called Vins de Pays (VDP). As the name must already be on the IGP Flaschentikett, only during the transitional period may also be the term “Vin de Pays” is specified. The IGP-Roussillon has three appellations:

• IGP Pays d’Oc
• IGP Pyrenees-Orientales
• IGP Cotes Catalanes
• Appellation d’Origine protégée (AOP)

The protected designation of origin (AOP) is far Appellation d’Origine (AOC), in German-controlled designation of origin. SOP should only be on the bottle label if the wine – meets requirements for this designation with the purpose of the “respect for the terroir” – in some cases more stringent. By 2014, all AOC in AOP be converted; been allowed to wines, which are the manufacturing criteria (zoning, wine description, varietals, maximum yield, wine-making practices, etc.) are not re-established or recognized, just as in the past referred to as AOC. In the Roussillon are already in force all AOP.

For the 13 protected designations of origin of the Roussillon wines is between dry and sweet wines distinguish natural. For dry red, rosé and white wines are made the following Appellations:

• AOP Côtes du Roussillon
• (Defined varieties, high yield 50 hl / ha)
• AOP Côtes du Roussillon Les Aspres
• (Only red wines, grape varieties specified, the maximum yield 45 hl / ha)
• AOP Cotes du Roussillon Villages
• (Only red wines, grape varieties specified, the maximum yield 45 hl / ha, also applies to the four local location names below)
• AOP Cotes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France
• AOP Cotes du Roussillon Villages Caramany
• AOP Cotes du Roussillon Villages Lesquerde
  vAOP Cotes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel
• AOP Collioure
  (Specified grape varieties, maximum yields of 40 hl / ha)

The third in the Palatinate is approved for the great variety of plant Pinot Noir. Even for him is: What will be filled with the noble title, is almost always very good. However, for first-class Pinot Noir Pinot Blanc similar to the highest class, apart from a few islands in the Mittelhaardt almost exclusively a few top sites on the Southern Wine Route reserved. A large part of the Pinot Noir is in the Palatinate (as in most German wine-growing areas) in locations that are hardly in a position to mitzugeben the wines that depth, subtlety and complexity that are essential for top Burgundy. Therefore, the number of large plants of this variety is like the Pinot Blanc in the long run probably pretty straightforward.

The Riesling series this year is led by two very different wines. Firstly, this is Christ’s Königsbacher Idig, a dense, mature and powerful Riesling monument, which can offer power at all even with bite and subtleties. Next to it is the garden of the Jesuits Forster Bürklin-wolf, though much less powerful, with its extremely tight and compact construction, its coolness and race but just as compelling. Behind with Forster Pechstein follow Forster Kirchenstück and Deidesheimer Kieselberg three wines of the estate of Winning (formerly Dr. Arturo Castro).

All three gave themselves at our tasting still pretty tight-lipped and needed lots of air, to suggest to some extent, what they are, why we give them credit even further increase with the aging in the bottle. Fortunately, we have avoided it by winning in this year, the wines mitzugeben sapid too much sugar. The new unconventional style of the house with the wood notes notable fits so not to limonadiger sweet as last year was still frequently encountered.

Also still not at the end of its possibilities, we consider the dense, powerful and searing Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad of Bergdolt to be, which could turn out to be the best Riesling of the house since 1999. Right up there are also full of character, very exciting, but still completely undeveloped Birkweiler Kastanienbusch Dr Wehrheim, compact, crisp and very spicy herb Forster monster Reichsrat von Buhl and Ungsteiner Weilberg of Pfeffingen. The latter is perhaps the driest Large fruit of the vintage in Germany, a bright reintöniges, salty, extremely tight masterpiece that proves impressively, the dry Rieslings even need in such an acid-stressed vintage no residual sugar when they are made only carefully enough.

It was closely followed by the equally viable Deidesheimer still a long morning of Christian man who was initially underestimated because of its slightly waxy and rosinigen botrytis perhaps, but the enormously in the air At length, and always will be tighter and more compelling. Next to it is the compact, low mineral and, in turn compelling Ruppertsberger Gaisböhl of Bürklin-wolf, where we also are not sure if he is not with some bottle age and be even more. At a similar level to the Pechstein moved from the same manufacturer, Pechstein and church pieces of Reichsrat von Buhl, Winnings from Jesuit garden and also still viable, lush and powerful Deidesheimer Kalkofen of Bassermann-Jordan. Add to that another dozen first-class Rieslings, and even if not all the “usual suspects” are represented this year at the very top group, you can find in the Palatinate in 2011 is not really weak large plants, as already mentioned.

The number of featured Pinot Blanc is very small. At the top of the five sampled wines again, the winery Bergdolt is a cool, powerful and juicy Kirrweiler Mandelberg, which is the top spot divided among all German white Burgundies of the vintage with the equally well-known neighbors Godramstein: Münzbergs snake whistle has also pretty cool, it very tight and polished. He could perhaps develop even longer and better than the already impressive specimen of Bergdolt. Not far behind the incredibly tight knit Birkweiler Mandelberg Dr. Wehrheim and range from a little distance in the sunshine of the Siebeldinger Rebholz, who we like better this year than the usually somewhat rustic Rieslings of the house. The end of the Schweigener Sonnenberg makes of Bernhart, who, although he belongs here occupies the last place, still one of the best white Burgundies with Abstend of the vintage.

In the winery, the Pinot Noirs Friedrich Becker makes his 2008er “chamber” from the Schweigener Sonnenberg once again shows why he is counted among the best red wine producers in the country. Despite the difficult vintage, the wine surpasses the competition of the 2009 Great wines from the Pfalz yet, especially since he looks like he could increase with the maturity. Similarly, good cuts, however, from another 2008er: the very ground Kastanienbusch Dr. Wehrheim like it much better than the bad woody version of 2009 from the same manufacturer. With his sun mountain “Saint Paul” Becker is also the winery at the top of the previously presented 2009 reds from the Palatinate, he shares space with the usual, but also powerful and spicy wood Laumersheimer Stone humpback Philip Kuhn. With a little distance follow Bergdolt Duttweiler Laumersheimer limestone and a cherry orchard, in turn, by Philip Kuhn.

All previously tasted great growths of the current vintages:

• Riesling
• White Burgundy
• Pinot Noir

The range of styles in the area is enormous, ranging from very traditional, specifically oxidation, thin and salty to very modern, fruity, and neuholzwürzig schmelzig-juicy. Some first-class bodega offers both: traditional, long barrel mounted Reservas and Gran Reservas, but also based on a model from Bordeaux, shorter, but it developed into new barriques Special Blend, which often represents the top of the range.

Reservas, but also based on a model from Bordeaux, shorter, but it developed into new barriques Special Blend, which often represents the top of the range.

Good producers of Rioja – and there are many – manage to get their wines, despite the variety of philosophies and styles but a clear, common origin characteristic. Rioja survived by his finesse, his own unique, complex flavor and quite often his noble charm and the traditional wines have these properties as well as the modern variants of the best producers. The prices remain largely surprisingly modest: In almost any other famous wine region in the world do you get world-class wine at comparable prices.

Unfortunately, some well-known producers are missing from our list. We have not forgotten about them, just not all the top companies have accepted our invitation to make wines for tasting.

The struggle in this type of pathogens is very complex and difficult to implement due to the mode of infection and dissemination of the long persistence in soil and the absence of effective chemical ingredients, which can act in a direct and definitive.

The only feasible control measures can be of a condom, with particular reference to the management of new facilities. It is therefore necessary to frequently check the health of plants and promptly delete the infected cases.
The book “The root rot of the vine,” edited by author Federica De Luca, Daniel Prodorutti, and Ilaria Pertot, examines the issue of these pathogens that affect the roots of the vine.

The booklet was created by ‘experience gained during the project AGRIBIO, funded by the Autonomous Province of Trento, which aims to give farmers the appropriate technical and cognitive tools for proper prevention and management of these diseases.

The book “The Esca’s lives,” edited by Lorenza authors Michelon, Chiara Pellegrini and Ilaria Pertot, aims to provide information and advice to the grower time to recognize the disease and, in the absence of an effective fungicide, implement measures like condoms to prevent the possible spread in the field.

The booklet comes from the experience gained by the Center SafeCrop during MESVIT interregional research project, a project funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry by Arsia (Regional Agency for Development and Innovation in Agriculture and Forestry in the Region Tuscany). The project team includes several research units, distributed throughout the Italian territory (14 regions and the Autonomous Province of Trento) to provide answers to many questions still open on the development of the disease, to prepare protocols for early diagnosis and to develop defense strategies effective and low environmental impact.

In recent years, however, has also increased sharply in northern arousing, in some years, late blight of major concern, traditionally considered the most common disease in the vineyards of the north. Powdery mildew, as mildew can have a disastrous impact on wine production, both in quantitative and qualitative. The damage is mainly due to the biological characteristics of the fungus that make it, on the one hand very dependent on climatic and other conditions give a high ability to multiply and spread, making tough defense against the disease.

The book, edited by the authors and Ilaria Pertot Angels Darius, was founded with the goal to summarize valuable information for farmers on various issues related to the disease. Particularly useful aspects are treated to plan proper management mildew, such as the biology of the pathogen, the mode of manifestation and development of the disease, crop protection, and the technical means available and are presented by the latest research by the Center SafeCrop Adige Agricultural Institute of San Michele.

The institute promotes and disseminates the results of its testing activities by means of free publications agricultural entrepreneur and dedicated technical staff.

The books have the latest updates on the biology and epidemiology of various pathogens that affect the lives, low-impact strategies used for organic farming and the results of experiments carried out in Trentino and in other Italian regions. In publications, the discussion of the topics is simple, pleasant reading, accompanied by numerous photographs and charts that help you understand the concepts better. A comprehensive bibliography at the end of the volume of information also helps in finding those who wish to deepen their knowledge on more. The books can be a valuable teaching aid for students, colleges and universities, who wish to broaden their level of knowledge about these important diseases.

The recognition of DOCG. should provide a discipline-growing and winemaking usually more restrictive.

Although these wines may be back for the EU legislation, in the broader category of quality wine
The use of DOC is not permitted for wine made from grapes that partially or totally, which have not been classified among the recommended and authorized or that are derived from interspecific hybrids between Vitis vinifera and other species of Asian or American.

The designations of origin and geographical indications typical lapse when the wine is added for more wine abroad in any size and from any source, even if such practice is permitted by the regulations of the country in which you are or where the product obtained it is bottled.

The DOCG. lapse if not activated within three years after their award for 5 consecutive years and when the producers registered as vineyards have not submitted reports or, even, when the name has been used for less than 35% of the area registered as a for DOC. or when, for 3 consecutive years, more than 50% of the vineyards are not complied with the specifications.

For DOCG. there is a unitary production of grapes lower than the DOC and a sugar content (or natural) of the grapes higher, there is a minimum plant density ranging from 2900 to 4000 plants per hectare.

These wines are also regulated by EEC Regulation 823/87 and Presidential Decree No. 348/94.

Some DOC can return some additional indications on the label:

• Indication of “classic” for wines produced in the oldest tradition (within the area defined by the specification)
• Indication of “reserves” for some wines subject to aging longer than normal
• Indication of “superior” for wines with better features (thanks to the good climate year which has enabled us to

achieve a higher sugar concentration and thus a higher alcohol content)

The use of DOC is not permitted for wine made from grapes that partially or totally, which have not been classified among the recommended and authorized or that are derived from interspecific hybrids between Vitis vinifera and other species of Asian or American.

The DOC lapse if not activated within three years after their award for 5 consecutive years and when the producers registered as vineyards have not submitted reports or, even, when the name has been used for less than 15%, or when, for 3 consecutive years, more than 50% of the vineyards are not complied with the specifications.

The IGT may also be replaced by the words “vin de pays” for wines produced in Val d’Aosta, French bilingualism, and the mention “Landwein”, provided the case of wines produced in the Province of Bolzano, the bilingual German.
Designated with the name you can add color and the name of the wine grapes.

The IGT can not use the name of regions or areas used for the DOC. DOC or vine can be mentioned only when the wine area is of significant size.

Table wines may also derive from “cuts” made by mixing a variety of wines of any region.
In such cases it will be recognized and IGT wines can also be sold with fancy names and private label manufacturer.
And ‘prohibited, on the whole Italian territory, use table grapes to produce wines with a protected designation of origin or geographical indication are typical.

The IGT lapse if not activated within three years and when they are recognized for 5 consecutive years manufacturers registered as vineyards have not submitted reports or when, for 3 consecutive years, more than 50% of the vineyards are not respected disciplinary.