Do you know Muscat de Noël? It is to Muscat de Rivesaltes what Beaujolais Nouveau is to Beaujolais.

Origin of Muscat de Noël

Muscat de Noël is the first Muscat de Rivesaltes of the year to be bottled directly after the harvest. It is marketed on the third Thursday in November. Unlike the history of Beaujolais Nouveau, which has only lasted since the second half of the 20th century, that of Muscat de Noël dates back to the 14th century.

At the time, it was not yet called such, but it was served at the table of the Royal Court of Barcelona, on the occasion of the Nativity celebrations. Then the tradition was lost, and only the local winegrowers and their friends and family continued to taste their first Muscat of the year at Christmas. It was only in 1997 that a group of winegrowers producing Muscat de Rivesaltes, keen to bring this wine back into fashion, decided to create the “Muscat de Noël” appellation. In 1999, official specifications were drawn up.

The character of this first Muscat of the year

Muscat de Rivesaltes is the only French Muscat to be produced under the Muscat doux appellation. Produced in the Languedoc Roussillon region, it benefits from a Mediterranean climate and a terroir conducive to the emergence of sweet wines with a full, flavorful aromatic structure.

Compared with other Muscats de Rivesaltes, Muscat de Noël is much fresher and crisper, thanks to the wine’s youth. Muscat grapes, just picked, also develop strong fruit aromas (exotic fruit, peach, orange blossom…). To top it all off, the sparkling dress recalls the magic of Christmas! An ideal wine to enjoy throughout your New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Photo : Adobe Stock – magdal3na