Côtes Catalanes: Domaine Boudau Le Petit Closi Red

Roussillon, though administratively merged with the Languedoc and Midi-Pyrénées into Occitanie since 2016, remains a distinct wine region with a strong Catalan identity, occupying the Pyrénées-Orientales in the far south of mainland France. Enjoying one of the sunniest, driest climates in the country and a varied terroir of schist, granite, limestone, and clay, it is best known for powerful, full-bodied reds built on Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Carignan, alongside rich whites. Above all, it is the historic home of France's vins doux naturels - fortified sweet wines such as Banyuls, Maury, and Rivesaltes. Today, a dynamic community of small, often old-vine growers is earning the region growing international recognition for its dry wines.

Côtes Catalanes, meaning 'Catalan hills', is an IGP covering most of the Pyrénées-Orientales department in the far south of mainland France, just across the Pyrenees from Spanish Catalunya. Blessed by both the warm Mediterranean coast and fresh mountain air inland, it gives winemakers the freedom to explore diverse styles and grapes rarely seen elsewhere in southern France. Reds are typically bold, built on Carignan, Grenache, and Syrah, while the invigorating whites draw on local varieties such as Grenache Blanc, Macabeu, and a range of Muscats. From traditional oxidative 'rancio' wines to fresh, fruit-forward primeurs, Côtes Catalanes is a source of authentic, characterful gems.