Languedoc

The Languedoc-Roussillon region is dominated by 740,300 acres of vineyards, three times the combined area of the vineyards in Bordeaux. The Mediterranean climate and plentiful land with soil ranging from rocky sand to thick clay was very suitable for the production of wine, and it is estimated that one in ten bottles of the world's wine was produced in this region during the 20th century (Robinson 1999:395). Despite this enormous quantity, the area's significance was often overlooked by scholarly publications and commercial journals, largely due to the fact that very little of the wine being produced was classified under an appellation contrôlée until the 1980s (Joseph 2005:190).

Collioure (French: Collioure, pronounced /k?lju?/; Catalan: Cotlliure) is a seaside Mediterranean town and commune a few kilometers north of the Spanish border in the French département of Pyrénées-Orientales, a part of the ancient Roussillon province and the present-day Languedoc-Roussillon région. Collioure is also the name of an AOC wine similar to the famous Banyuls (AOC).

As the town has a strong Catalan culture, its own motto is the same as the one of the local Catalan rugby team (USA Perpignan, France) which is Sempre endavant, mai morirem (Always forward, We'll never die). Under Michel Moly's leadership, the town has an alternative motto, Collioure sera toujours Collioure (Collioure shall always be Collioure) quoting French singer Maurice Chevalier's famous song titled Paris sera toujours Paris.

Collioure is famous throughout France for its 3-day August 15th celebration, which attracts twice its population in visitors, who come to see the town's bodégas and fireworks.