Creators of fine wines from Banyuls & Collioure
  
In Banyuls-sur-Mer, la Cave de l’Abbé Rous produces and sells an outstanding range of wines from Collioure and Banyuls AOC.
 
This name was chosen as an hommage to the priest that at the end of the XIXth century was the first to sell the banyuls wine in bottles to finance the construction of his church
 
La Cave de l’Abbé Rous works with more than 750 wine-growers. It makes selections on their 1150 hectars to elaborate
exceptional ‘‘cuvées’’.
 
Each stage, from vine management to vinification, from aging to presentation, plays a main part for the wines of La Cave de l’Abbé Rous to be of outstanding quality.
 
Thanks to its unique knowledge in the creation and aging of the Banyuls and Banyuls Grand Cru, la Cave de l’Abbé Rous presents a very diversified range of wines.

The incredible symbiosis between schist and Grenache.
  
Our vineyard is located in the extreme south of France, where the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean. Its borders are the 4 harbors of Collioure, Port-Vendres, Banyuls-sur-Mer and Cerbère, with a total surface area of 1800 hectares.
 
Between mountains and sea, the vines hang on steep slopes of arid schist.
 
The vines grow on terraces that span the entire mountain side, 6000km of dry stone walls, a true human creation that shapes the entire landscape.With this network of channels driving the rain to preserve this land from erosion.The vines are hand-worked as our unique geography prohibits the use of any machines.
 
The Grenache, rooted deep in the schist reveals the spirit of this ‘‘terroir’’.
The Mediterranean weaver gives more than 300 days of sun and rare but violent rains. Thinks to these conditions, the grapes reach important levels of sugar concentration, but with good levels of juice because the vines don't suffer of the secheress (thanks to the schist). This vine growing respects the environment.
 
The "Tramontane", this violent wind comming from the north, contributes to maintain, naturaly, the vineyard in a good sanitary state.

Banyuls and Collioure, wines born between schist and grenache 
 
Sprouting literally out of the rock, Grenache is the king of grapes in this part of the world. This grape variety gives magnificent expression to the soil and microclimate that make up this unique “terroir”.

 
Tended by the wine-growers with skill and loving care, it yields richly powerful and, elegant wines of rare excellence.
  
The Banyuls Controlled Origin Appellation is one of the oldest from France. It was created in 1936. The production area is defined by the 4 harbors of the "Côte Vermeille": Collioure, Port-Vendres, Banyuls-sur-Mer and Cerbère.
Main grape varieties: Black Grenache (50% minimum), Grey and White Grenache , Macabeu, Malvoisie, Muscats.
Additionnal grape varieties: Carignan, Cinsault, Syrah
Yield : Limited to 30 hectoliters per hectare
Neutral grape alcohol is added to the must (no more than 10% of the total volume) in a process called mutage.
Aging : the COA Banyuls are aged for at least 10 months
 
 
The Banyuls Grand Cru Controlled Origin Appellation was obtained in 1962 in order to add value to products of a superior quality. The production area is the same as the Banyuls, the 4 harbors of the "Côte Vermeille" : Collioure, Port-Vendres, Banyuls-sur-Mer et Cerbère.
Main grape varieties: Black Grenache (75% minimum), Grey and White Grenache , Macabeu, Malvoisie, Muscats.
Additionnal grape varieties: Carignan, Cinsault, Syrah
Yield : Limited to 30 hectoliters per hectare.
Neutral grape alcohol is added to the must (no more than 10% of the total volume) in a process called mutage.
Aging : the COA Banyuls are aged for at least 30 months
 
The "Mutage"
During the XIIIth century, Arnau de Villanova, a Catalan doctor, discovers the process of "Mutage" with neutral grape alcohol.
Mutage on must : Traditionaly, the process of mutage concist to add the neutral grape alcohol directly on the grape must after crunching so as to stop the fermentation and so to keep a part of the natural sugar of the grape. The early the process happens the sweetest the wine is.
Mutage on the grape: The adjonction of alcohol is made, before crunching, directly on the berries. This technique associated to a long maturation of around 20 days, allows an optimal extraction of the aromatic substances and the tannins. The mutage on the grape is reserved to the harvest of exceptional quality.
 
The Collioure Controlled Origin Appellation was validated by the INAO in:
                                                   -   1971 for the Red
                                                   -   1991 for the Rosé
                                                   -   2003 for the White
The production area is defined by the 4 harbors of the "Côte Vermeille": Collioure, Port-Vendres, Banyuls-sur-Mer and Cerbère.
Main grape varieties: - for the Red and the Rosé : Black Grenache, Mourvèdre et Syrah.
                                     - for the White : Grey and White Grenache.
Additionnal grape varieties: - for the Red and the Rosé : Carignan, Cinsault.
                                               - for the White : Roussanne, Marsanne, Vermentino.
Yield : Limited to 40 hectoliters per hectare.