Muscat de Rivesaltes

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The geographical zone lies in an amphitheatre open towards the Mediterranean, framed by the Canigou massif (Pic du Canigou, 2,780 metres), the Albères massif (Roc de France, 1,450 metres), and the Corbières massif (Mont Tauch, 878 metres).
• The area extends across 89 communes of Pyrénées-Orientales and 9 communes of the Aude, crossed from west to east by three short rivers and streams that are often dry and have formed numerous terraces.
• The delimited plots have thin, very dry soils that are poor in organic matter, consistently very stony, and well drained.
• These plots are situated on terraces of rounded stones, or present clay-limestone soils, soils derived from the weathering of schists, or soils originating from Pliocene sands.
• The vineyard benefits from annual sunshine in excess of 2,500 hours and rainfall of between 500 and 650 millimetres, often of a stormy character and distributed mainly in spring and autumn.
• The climate of Roussillon is characterised by the frequency — one day in three — and the violence of the Tramontane, a north-westerly wind that is very cold in winter after passing over the snow-covered peaks of the Pyrenees.
• The geographical zone benefits from a moderating effect linked to the proximity of the sea, which tempers the intensity of summer sunshine and maintains a slight nocturnal freshness.

• The dispatch of ten loads of 'muscatell de Claira' to Pope Benedict XIII in Avignon on 22 December 1394 attests to the long-standing cultivation of muscat around Claira.
• The technique of producing vins doux naturels by mutage with grape spirit is attributed to Arnau de Vilanova (1238–1311) in the thirteenth century.
• The designation 'Muscat de Noël', recognised in 1999, refers to wines packaged and released to market from the third Thursday of November of the harvest year, perpetuating a family tradition of consumption at Christmas.

• Young wines generally display a pale gold colour with aromas evoking white-fleshed fruits, fresh citrus, exotic fruits, mint, dried fruits, or rose.
• With bottle ageing, the colour develops amber highlights and the aromas tend towards notes of honey, candied fruits, and candied citrus.

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)
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — CIVR — Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins du Roussillon