AOC/AOP Regulations
Département
- Pyrénées-Orientales
Subzones (Geographic Designations)
- Les Aspres
Size
- 5,844 ha
Styles and Encépagement
- Blanc: Min. 2 varieties (none may exceed 80%)
- Principal Varieties: Min. 50% combined Grenache Blanc, Macabeu, and Tourbat (Malvoisie du Roussillon)
- Complementary Varieties: Grenache Gris, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Vermentino
- Blanc Primeur/Nouveau
- Rosé: Min. 2 varieties (none may exceed 70%)
- Principal Varieties: Min. 80% combined Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah (min. 25% combined Mourvèdre and Syrah), and Carignan (max. 50%)
- Accessory Varieties: Cinsault, Grenache Gris, Macabeu and Lladoner Pelut
- Rosé Primeur/Nouveau
- Rouge: Min. 2 varieties (none may exceed 70%)
- Principle Varieties: Min. 80% combined Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah (min. 25% combined Mourvèdre and Syrah), and Carignan (max. 50%)
- Accessory Varieties: Cinsault and Lladoner Pelut
- Rouge Primeur/Nouveau
- Côtes du Roussillon „Les Aspres“ Rouge: Min. 3 varieties (no two combined varieties may exceed 90%)
- Principal Varieties: Min. 25% combined Mourvèdre (max. 50%) and Syrah (max. 50%); max. 50% Grenache
- Complementary Variety: max. 25% Carignan
Assemblage
- Blanc: Min. 2 varieties. No principal variety may exceed 80% of the blend. Min. 50% combined Grenache Blanc, Tourbat, and Macabeu.
- Rosé/Rouge: Min. 2 varieties. No principal variety may exceed 80% of the blend, and the accessory varieties may not exceed a combined 20%.
- Côtes du Roussillon „Les Aspres“: Min. 3 varieties, and no two combined varieties may exceed 90%.
Minimum Potential Alcohol
- Blanc: 11%
- Rosé/Rouge: 12%
- Côtes du Roussillon „Les Aspres“: 12.5%
Minimum Must Weight
- Blanc: 190 g/l (178 g/l prior to 2011)
- Rosé/Rouge: 207 g/l
- Côtes du Roussillon „Les Aspres“: 216 g/l
Maximum Residual Sugar
- Noveau/Primeur: 2 g/l
- Blanc/Rosé: 4 g/l
- Rouge: 3 g/l (4 g/l if potential alcohol is greater than 14%)
Élevage
- Côtes du Roussillon „Les Aspres“ wines may not be released until October 1 of the year following the harvest.
Minimum Planting Density
- 4,000 vines per hectare
Maximum Yield (Rendement de Base)
- Côtes du Roussillon: 50 hl/ha
- Côtes du Roussillon „Les Aspres“: 45 hl/ha
AOC Established
- 1977 (last updated 2011)
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