Symposium of brotherhoods in Perpignan, European wine city 2019

In the South of France, between the sea and the Pyrenees mountains, Perpignan, former capital city of the Kingdom of Majorca, has been named « European wine city » for the year 2019 by the RECEVIN network.

The first traces of vine growing and wine trade in Roussillon date back to Greek antiquity. Its inhabitants already consumed wine 2600 years ago. Wine tastings, festivals, gastronomic walks and other cultural events punctuate this exceptional year for wines and the territory of Roussillon.

The Commende Majeure du Roussillon, a founding member of FICB, traces its origin back to a letter patent received July 26, 1374 from Pierre d’Aragon confirming a privilege of 1229 by instituting the Order of the Guards Privilege to keep the duty and the right of the vine and wine. Re-established in 1964, its vocation is to promote and make known all the wines of Roussillon.

The Commende Majeure du Roussillon organized a large international gathering of brotherhoods, the SYMPOSIUM, which took place on June 21, 22 and 23. About thirty wine and gastronomic brotherhoods were present.

Over 3 days, the symposium included :

Friday 21 June : tour of Perpignan, conference on the Roussillon wines, history, varietals, marketing and formal opening cocktail party

Saturday 22 June : visits of wine estates, wine tasting and lunch on the spot

Sunday 23 June : a mass at the Saint-John-the-Baptist Cathedral followed by a procession of the brotherhoods in costume through the town center and a demonstration of the “sardanne”, the typical Catalan dance, and then the Grand Chapter proper chaired by the Grand Master Jean-Claude ESTIRACH.

During the gala dinner that closed the event, our President presented the F.I.C.B. medal to Philippe BOURRIER, President of the Interprofessional Committee of Roussillon Wines. The producers members of this Committee allowed the participants to enjoy a wide and brilliant selection of wines from this region, which has maintained its traditional varietals, including Grenache (white, gray and black), macabeu, syrah , carignan and muscats, especially for its famous natural sweet wines, while adding new grape varieties thus offering a large range of wines for an increasing international outreach.

Commende Majeure du Roussillon :

Web site: www.commendemajeureroussillon.com

Facebook page : www.facebook.com/commendemajeure66/posts/

The full programme for “Perpignan, European wine city 2019”: www.roussillon.wine

To discover Perpignan and the Roussillon region : www.perpignantourisme.com

Visit of wine estates: here with Marie-Pierre PIQUEMAL, elected “Winemaker of the year” by the 2018 Hachette wine guide (left),and with André SERRET, director and wine maker of the Dom Brial Estate in Baixas (right) (with a 1959 muscat de Rivesaltes)

Mass at the St John-the-Baptist Cathedral and procession through the city

Panoramic view of the participants in front of the Perpignan Town Hall

The delegation of the Wine brotherhood of Sant Andiu de la Galineiro from Béziers (F), member of F.I.C.B., led by its Grand Master Jean CHABRAT (left)

Jean-Claude ESTIRACH, Grand Master of the Commende Majeure du Roussillon with Alan BRYDEN (President of F.I.C.B.) and Carlos Martin COSME (President of C.E.U.CO.)