The wine-growing region lies deep in the south of France and is the southern part of the huge Languedoc-Roussillon area (see history there). The first muscatel grapes were cultivated here, which were used as the basis for the famous fortified sweet wines. The famous doctor and scholar Arnaldus de Villanova (1240-1311) is considered the inventor of the vin doux naturel, as it is called today. Although they are also produced in the neighbouring Languedoc to the north-east, Roussillon accounts for around 90%. For four centuries it was part of the Kingdom of Mallorca and only became part of France in 1659. The viticulture is therefore relatively strongly marked by Spanish influence, among other things in terms of grape varieties.
Serious sources on the internet are rare - and Wine lexicon from wein.plus is one such source. When researching for my articles, I regularly consult the wein.plus encyclopaedia. There I get reliable and detailed information.
Thomas Götz
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