AOC MUSCAT DU LANGUEDOC

Production regulations
The yield per parcel may not exceed 28 hl/ha with business derogations depending on the vintages.
The only grape type used is the small berry Muscat. They must be matured to a minimum level of 252 g of sugar per litre (approximately 14°).  Natural sweet wines are made exclusively by the harvester and producers. The alcohol used for mutage must be 96% volume wine alcohol. 5 to 10% is added compared to the must prepared.  The final alcohol content must be between 15 and 18°.

Muscat de Frontignan (AOC since 1936)
The vineyards are located between the Vic La Gardiole lagoon and the Thau lagoon close to the community of Frontignan. The soil is argilo-calcareous with increasing sand content approaching the Mediterranean.  The twisted bottle has become a symbol of this appellation.

Muscat de Lunel (AOC since 1943)
These vineyards are established around the town of Lunel, halfway between Montpellier in Nimes, bovine country and cocarde bullfighting (a type of bullfighting game where the bull is not killed). The appellation is located on clay soil with red, siliceous, fragmented stones. These soils can be considerably deep.

Muscat de Mireval (AOC since 1959)
These vineyards are located at the edge of the Vic La Gardiole lagoon close to the community of Mireval along the road linking Montpellier and Sete. These soils were formed during the Jurassic period with a high content of limestone fragments.

Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois (AOC since 1949)
These vineyards are situated at an altitude of 250 metres on calcareous air cell soils. These are shallow soils where limestone fragments mix with red clay.
The Mediterranean climate is tempered by the altitude.

• Key figures
  
  Frontignan
  797 ha
  1 cooperative wine producer
  26 private wine producers
  
  Lunel
  321 ha
  1 cooperative wine producer
  6 private wine producers
  
  Mireval
  260 ha
  1 cooperative wine producer
  9 private wine producers
  
  Saint Jean de Minervois
  195 ha
  1 cooperative wine producer
  8 private wine producers
  
  

• Sales
  38 000 hl
  (storehouse outputs 2005/06)
  GD: 49% - Export: 5%
  

AOC MUSCAT DE RIVESALTES

Appellation area
It covers 90 villages of Pyrénées Orientales and 9 of Aude, and it includes appellations of Banyuls, Maury et Rivesaltes.

Grapes
Muscat de Rivesaltes can be elabored with two grapes,the Muscat d’Alexandrie and the Muscat à petits grains.
The proportion varies according to producers. The Muscat à petits grains gives flavours of exotic and citrus fruits, while the Muscat d’Alexandrie gives fullness and flavours or ripped fruits and fineness of white flowers.
 
Vinification
The colour and the taste of Muscat de Rivesaltes vary according to the proportion of each grape and the maturation. Generally, wines are bottled very quickly with the aim of keeping freshness.
These Muscats have a pale gold colour with green or pink reflects. Its have flavours of peach, lemon, mango and mint. To preserve all these flavours, some Muscat de Rivesaltes, called “Muscat de Noël” are sold very young. Others can be kept several years. The colour changes to amber and flavours evolve to honey and crystallized apricot.

• Key figures
  5 309 ha

• Yields
  The yield is limited at 30 hl/ha.
  Average yield: 21.49 hl/ha

• Average production: 144 100 hl