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

Source CIVR