The wine-growing region deep in the south of France is the southern part of the huge Languedoc-Roussillon region. It is surrounded by the three mountain ranges of Corbières in the north, Canigou in the west and Albères on the border with Spain in the south. Due to its secluded location between the sea and the mountains, it has a unique geographical and cultural profile, which is also reflected in its viticulture. Roussillon is one of the oldest wine regions in France, where vines have been cultivated since ancient times.
The first Muscat Blanc 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 wine type. Although they are also produced in the neighbouring Languedoc region to the north-east, Roussillon accounts for around 90%. It was part of the Kingdom of Mallorca for four centuries and only became part of France in 1659. As a result, viticulture is relatively strongly characterised by Spanish influence in terms of grape varieties, among other things.
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