Trilla: a return to a nearly vineless village

The sign is still there but the vines have gone

After an absence of at least five years we have come back to the small village of Trilla up in the hills of Roussillon. When we first came here around 20 years ago there were lots of vines including some on terraces overlooking the village. Now most of the vines have disappeared – grubbed out under the EU vine pull scheme. Once there were some 140 hectares of vines here. Now it is just 20.

The EU provides subsidies for pulling out vines in an attempt to reduce the world suplus of wine. But these vines around Trilla planted on thin, poor soil with small yields were never part of the problem. Rather, especially as many of the vines were old, they were part of the village's heritage. Furthermore little else apart from olives will grow on these hills and this hot, dry climate. A few fields would support cereals but they are too small to be economic. The irony is that there are an increasing number of foriegn investors who are now buying up the vineyards in the area that remain, recognising this treasure trove of old Carignan and Grenache.  

Lost vineyards including abandoned terraces

Entry to Trilla - the first building is the now closed cooperative

The start of veraison for the vines that remain