Wine

The first “Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée" wine of Languedoc-Roussillon, is only produced in nine small communal areas: FITOU, CAVES, TREILLES, LEUCATE and LA PALME, which are all beside the sea, between Narbonne and Perpignan, and CASCASTEL, PAZIOLS, TUCHAN, and VILLENEUVE in the Corbières-Massif.

History

Documents going back as far as Philip Augustus, Louis XIII and Louis XIV bear witness to the long-standing reputation of Fitou wines. Rabelais particularly appreciated “vin de Palme" which now has the “Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée Fitou" label.

The vineyards

The vineyards are set out on shaly and argilocalcareous soils with exceptional exposure to the sun. The countryside, whose relief consists in parts of hills and slopes and in others of plateaux, has the advantage of a particularly dry climate and is often swept by a high wind, the “Cers".

The vines

The Carignan grape is at its very best in this countryside: here it ripens to perfection to give strong, full-bodied wines with real substance and a rich, deep colour. The Grenache grape is the ideal complement to the Carignan, bringing its fine, smooth, mellow qualities. A small percentage of Syrah and Mourvèdre also brings its richness in flavour and a delicious aftertaste worthy of the greatest of wines. From the marriage of these varieties of vines is born the harmony which characterises the Fitou wines.

The wines

Whilst the region, the climate and the vines enable wines to be produced, which are remarkable for their body and fullness, the enthusiast has the opportunity to discover the nuances which develop as the wines mature. First we find young, full-bodied wines with the fragrance of flowers and fruit, rich in noble tanins. Then, beyond two years of age, we encounter wines with a real structure, with a dark, deep colour and a nose with a hint of violet, liquorice, thyme, rosemary and the flowers of the Provençal moorland. These wines are always elegant and deliciously mellow.