Muscat de Rivesaltes AOC
Muscat de Rivesaltes, in Catalan Moscat de Ribesaltes, (since August 29, 1956 AOC ) is a sweet wine from France. It may be produced in a total of 99 municipalities in the departments of Pyrénées- Orientales (Northern Catalonia ) and in the growing area Aude Languedoc Roussillon. The vineyard covers about 4990 hectares.
The Muscat de Rivesaltes is a family of Vin Doux Naturel. Within the production area of the wines Maury and Banyuls have the special status of a Grand Cru.
Soil and grape varieties
The vines are on poor and calcareous soil, which allows only very low yields. Due to the size of the area is not possible, a flat-rate description of the base.
As grape varieties Muscat blanc à petits grains and Muscat d' Alexandrie are allowed. The income should not exceed 30 hectoliters per hectare. This rule, however, was exceeded almost systematically since the 1993 vintage.
Production
There are first ripe grapes harvested that can shrivel up like raisins on the vine already. To get the natural sugar of the grapes, the mash fermentation is stopped by addition of ethanol. In this case, the wine is " aufgespritet " at least 15 percent alcohol. The residual sugar content of the wine is / liter at least 100 g.
In order to preserve the wine 's freshness and fruitiness of muscat varieties, it will be as early as possible, but not filled before 15 December of the harvest year. The wine should be drunk within two years after the harvest. Light versions of wine are very fragrant and have aromas of lemon and honey. Richer wines have a slightly bitter taste and aroma reminiscent of oranges.
Approved communities
In the department of Pyrénées- Orientales
Bages, Argelès -sur -Mer, Baho, Baixas, Banyuls -sur -Mer, Banyuls -dels- Aspres, Bélesta, Le Boulou, Brouilla, Cabestany, Caxias, Calce, Camelas, Canet, Canohès, Cases-de - Pène, Cassagnes, Castelnou, Cerbère, Ceret, Claira, Collioure, Corbère, Corbère- les- Cabanes, Corneilla -de- la- Rivière, Corneilla -del- Vercol, L' Ecluse, Elne, Espira -de- l'Agly, Estagel, Fourques, Ille -sur- Tet, Laroque -des- Albères, Latour -Bas- Elne, Latour- de -France, Lesquerde, Llauro, Llupia, Maureillas, Maury, Millas, Montauriol, Montescot, Montesquieu, Montner, Nétiach, Opoul - Périllos, Ortaffa, Palau -del- Vidre, Pia, Passa, Perpignan, Peyrestortes, Pézilla -de- la- Rivière, Planèzes, Le Soler, Ponteilla, Port -Vendres, Rasiguères, Reynès, Rivesaltes, Saint -André, Sainte -Colombe -de la Commandery, Saint- Esteve, Saint- Féliu - d'Amont Saint- Féliu - d'Aval, Saint- Genis- des- Fontaines, Saint- Hippolyte, Saint -Jean- Lassaille, Saint -Jean- Pla-de - Corts, Saint- Nazaire, Saint -Paul -de- Fenouillet Sale Illes, Salses, Le Soler, Sorède, Tautavel, Terrats, Thuir, Tordères, Toulouges, Tresserre, Trouillas, Villelongue -dels- Monts, Villemolaque, Villeneuve -de- la- Raho, Villeneuve -de- la- Rivière, Vingrau, Vivès.
In the Aude department
Cascastel -des- Corbières, Caves, Fitou, La Palme, Leucate, Paziols, Treilles Tuchan, Villeneuve- les- Corbières.