Côtes du Roussillon is an appellation contrôlée for red, white and rosé wines from the Roussillon wine region in southern France. It covers the eastern half of the administrative district of the Pyrénées-Orientales, on the eastern edge of the Pyrenees. The western half of the Pyrenees-Orientales is simply too mountainous for effective viticulture. In the Côtes du Roussillon wine-growing area is the Aspres sub-region.
This corresponds roughly to the Aspres nature park, an area that forms the transition between the lower Pyrenees and the coastal plain of Roussillon below. Only red wines can claim the title Les Aspres, and to obtain it, they must comply with slightly stricter production restrictions than those in force for standard Côtes du Roussillon wines. The typical Côtes du Roussillon red wine is based on the classic Languedoc-Roussillon and southern Rhone Valley Grape varieties, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, perhaps with some support from their less favoured and slightly rustic cousin, Carignan. Wines from older vineyards may even include a touch of Cinsaut and perhaps even the little known Lledoner Pelut (thought to be a mutation of Grenache Noir).
wines from the region of Côtes du Roussillon go well with generally quite well with dishes of pasta, vegetarian or poultry such as recipes of pasta with chicken, peppers and mushrooms, quiche lorraine or chicken nuggets.
On the nose in the region of Côtes du Roussillon often reveals types of flavors of tree fruit, citrus or citrus fruit and sometimes also flavors of strawberries, red fruit or vanilla. In the mouth in the region of Côtes du Roussillon is a powerful with a nice freshness.
