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As a guide, the distance from Roses to Pau is 9 kilometers or 5.5 miles.
The broken red line shows a 'Wine Trail' between the main producers' locations

The map above shows the approximate extent of the Ampurdan area. Wine has been produced in here since about 500 B.C., but the Romans established it firmly and gave the region its name after the Graeco-Roman town of Ampurias (Empuries). Benedictine monks then carried on the process, and one of them, based in the monastery of St Pere de Roda, wrote a paper about making wine in 1130 A.D.

Around 3,000 hectares (7,500 acres) are used for vineyards, just a fraction of the earlier area. Since the vineyards are mostly too small to support a family, most of the owners have a second job and their grapes are processed by cooperatives. In 1992 there were 13 cooperatives which handled about 95% of the area's wine.

Most of the wine is from the Garnacha grape and has an alcohol content of about 15%. Some of the wines are 'sparkling' wines but the majority are 'still'.

Important producers are:

Oliveda, 17750 Capmany
Cellers Santamaria, 17750 Capmany
Covinosa, 17752 Mollet de Peralada
Cavas del Ampurdan, 17491 Peralada

The last produces the well-known Blanc Pescador (sparkling) of Castillo de Peralada, a Blanc de Blanc and the Cresta Rose (sparkling).

While you are in the area, don't forget to visit:

Ampurias (Empuries), the Graeco-Roman town near l'Escala
Castello de Ampurias
The monastery of St Pere de Roda