History  :

You will find the village of Cases de Pène in Roussillon, about ten miles West of Perpignan on the D117 road.  The word “Pena” means “rock” in Catalan and referred in the Middle Ages to the castle perched on a rocky mountain spur which dominates the valley of the River Agly.  Here vines rub shoulders with olive trees,  almond trees and  maquis in a typical Mediterranean landscape.  

 
The vineyards :

Our vineyards extend over 1,000 acres and 80% of the surface is classified as Appelation d’Origine Contrôlée.
The plots of marl clay and black schist which face  due South on the lower foothills of the Corbières provide an ideal soil for many  grape varieties:  Syrah, Carignan and Grenache Noir which go into our AOC Côtes du Roussillon Villages; Alexandria Muscat, Small-grain Muscat, and Macabeu which together with Grenache Noir are used for the production of our naturally sweet AOC Rivesaltes and AOC Muscat de Rivesaltes; varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet, Chardonnay and Viognier which we use in our Vin du Pays.

Questions to our master wine maker Lionel Rodénas:

What is your background and why did you want to be a wine maker?
I have a degree in oenology and I have been making wine for 14 years. I chose to become a wine maker because it was kind of  a family affair. Mygrand-father was doing the same job and was so passionate, he gave me his passion.

What is so interesting about wine making?
The fact that from grapes we make juice and with a lot of work it becomes wine. In between many different and interesting tasks: the wine making process, the adjustement you have to make, the fact that the wine is alive and change with time and that every vintage is again different so there is no routine.

What makes your wines special?
Our terroir in the Agly Valley and because of the hard work from the wine growers.

Why should people drink your wines?
Because they really good value for money and because I make them!

What other people said about Lionel?
Hervé Bizeul (famous wine maker from the Roussillon):
"I do not know that much about Lionel Rodénas but the 2 or 3 times I talked and tasted with him, his passion gave me a strong impression. It is not everyday that you find a wine-maker who ask so many questions and who is so passionate about his job."

Product breakdown :

-  AOC Côtes du Roussillon Villages (red):
115,000 bottles and 3,500 BIB

-  Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes (red/rosé/white) :
160,000 bottles and 10,000 BIB

-  AOC Muscat de Rivesaltes and Rivesaltes :
70,000 bottles and 15,000 BIB

Marketing channels :

Our products are marketed through all distribution networks.

Traditional sector: wine merchants, hotel and catering, direct sales at the Winery, wholesalers.
Local and national supermarket chains: Auchan, Cora
Export sector: Belgium, United Kingdom, Norway, Canada, USA, Korea,Denmark, Japan, Brazil and Philippines.