CHATEAU SAINT ROCH
The 40 Hectares of Château Saint Roch are located in the Maury Area of the Agly Valley, which is 15 miles from Perpignan and the Mediterranean Sea. The castle of Queribus, built by the Cantharis, at the top of the steep Corbières Mountain watches over the vineyards from the north.
Francis Guérin created this domain in 1998, he bought the hamlet and then regrouped the interesting plots not only according to their soil type but also for their ecosystems.
Each plot is now surrounded by black berry bushes, fig trees, pomegranate trees, cherry trees, carob trees, oaks, as well as fields of thyme, lavender and fennel.
The soil of the hills is made up of schistuous clay with a limestone base and their altitudes vary between 120 to 370 metres. The wind, called here the “Tramontane”, circulates in this corridor between Fenouillèdes and Corbières. The southern Catalan sun takes advantage of the refractive qualities of the schist from this ancient icy plateau to give St Roch its unique light.
Here, bordered by the Canigou Mountain, one can find on the round bellied Hills of the “Prat” the young Syrah vineyards, there, one can find a dale densely planted with grey Grenache and Mourvèdre vineyards. Located on the Caribou plateau : the old black Grenache vineyards.
You will find Muscats and Macabeu vines planted on the slopes of the “Rocs Nègres” (black rocks). Further down Syrah and young Grenaches wines enjoy the freshness brought by the little Maury River which runs in front of the St Pierre Bastide, built on the ruins of a Knight Templar castle. A Bastide with a strong personality, like the vineyards that accompany it.
THE WINES
From the limestone-clay soils, they get elegance and roundness.
As early as plantation, soil analysis takes place in order to establish which grafts are best adapted to the soil. Grounds are looked after in a mechanical way in order to reduce to a minimum the use of chemical pesticides.
Organic compost/manure is added if the previous year analysis shows any lack. All the work carried out in the vineyards aims to be environmentally friendly in accordance to the reasoned culture technique.
The attention is particularly focused on the pruning in order to regulate the production, the maturity and the quality. A first green harvest (cluster thinning) is done at the end of June or at the beginning of July if necessary. A first selective picking on the vine-plant takes place during the manual harvest in boxes of 17 kilos (37 pounds) followed by a second selection back at the winery. In the cellar the wine making process is subject to a constant and careful monitoring. Slow maturing, delicate pressing, pumping-over and punching of the cap. The wine making process varies according to the vintage: on the lees or in barrels at the end of the fermenting process for the whites and in bottles after having been in traditional concrete tanks or barrels for the reds.
Red Côtes du Roussillon Village, Red Vins de Pays, White Vin de Pays, Maury and Muscats de Rivesaltes are created in St Roch.