Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The vineyards extend at the foot of the Montmirail massif on varied geological formations ranging from the Triassic to the Cretaceous, surrounded by more recent formations from the Oligocene and Miocene.
• During the Alpine uplift, ancient formations compressed between this new massif and the Massif Central were thrust back to the surface, with the harder limestone layers giving rise to the highly distinctive relief of the Dentelles de Montmirail, reaching an altitude of 732 metres.
• The Muscat parcels known as 'muscadières' are planted on terraces shaped by human hands on marly and sandy formations, clay marls, calcareous molasse, and sandstone depending on the sector.
• Around Beaumes-de-Venise, the grape varieties Muscat à petits grains blanc and Muscat à petits grains rouge are planted on soils developed from sands derived from Helvetian safre, known locally as 'terres blondes'.
• A large part of the zone benefits from the natural shelter of the rocky barrier of the Dentelles de Montmirail and a south-facing exposure that promotes optimal sunshine, creating a highly Mediterranean mesoclimate.

• The first land register of the Comtat Venaissin, drawn up in 1414, records the area of the 'muscadières' of black-grape varieties at 693,000 vines.
• The controlled designation of origin 'Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise' was recognised as early as 1945 for wines produced solely from the Muscat à petits grains grape variety.
• At the beginning of the twentieth century, the vineyard was revived thanks to the nurserymen-winegrowers of Carpentras, who were the first to graft local vines onto American rootstocks.
• In 1956, the same year that part of the Beaumes-de-Venise vineyard was recognised within the Côtes du Rhône appellation, the winegrowers formed a syndicate and established a cooperative cellar.

• The white wines, which account for 95% of production, display a golden-yellow appearance with floral aromas of white flowers combined with notes of honey and fruits such as peach, apricot, and lychee.
• Wines produced from the Muscat à petits grains grape variety display an appearance ranging from rosé to purple in the rare cuvées made exclusively from this variety, with an aromatic profile often recalling red and black fruits.

• The predominance of south-facing sloping parcels, the naturally drained, lean, and stony soils, and the summer water deficit lead to low vine yields and a high concentration of sugars in the grapes.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 11 mars 2021 publié au JORF du 14 mars 2021, JORF 14 mars 2021
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — Inter Rhône