Muscat de Frontignan

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Muscat de Frontignan is a French sweet wine from Languedoc that belongs to the Vin Doux Naturel family. A sweet Muscat wine is produced in the communes of Frontignan and Vic-la-Gardiole . The area is located about halfway between Montpellier and Agde in the Hérault department , just a few kilometers from the coastal town of Sète .

The vineyards are on the slopes of the Montagne de la Gardiole. The south-east facing locations are well protected from the region's sharp north winds by the range of hills. The soil belongs to the Malm era ( Kimmeridgian and Oxfordian ) and consists of a clay with a high iron content, which is colored red as a result. The clay is interspersed with limestone. In the south of the area, the proportion of lime is extremely high, so that you have to fall back on very lime-compatible rootstocks .

The regulation requires that the must contains at least 252 g of sugar per liter (see must weight ), which already corresponds to a selection level. Its alcoholic fermentation is stopped by adding 95% ethanol . At least 125 g of unfermented sugar per liter must then remain in the wine. The basic yield is very low at 28 hl / ha. This rule has been violated almost systematically since the 1996 vintage, so that the yield is currently still at a low 28–32 hl / ha.

The Muscat de Frontignan has had its own appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC for short) since May 31, 1936 , for which only the Muscat grape variety Muscat blanc à petits grains is permitted. Muscat wines were already being exported at the time of Charlemagne . Since the 13th century at the latest, the wine enjoyed an excellent reputation at the royal courts of France. Frontignan therefore received on March 17, 1565 by King Charles IX. the unrestricted right to land and water transport. This right was granted by the kings Heinrich III. and Henry IV confirmed. The success of the winemakers of Frontignan also encouraged winemakers from nearby communities to cultivate sweet nutmeg wines and tried to market them under the prestigious name. The Parliament of Toulouse was therefore forced on July 18, 1665 to protect the name Frontignon. Furthermore, the winemakers of Frontignon were forbidden to mix their own wine with foreign goods.

In contrast to today, the wine was not always fortified with ethanol. Until 1956 it was allowed to let the grapes dry on the cane by breaking the grape stalk in autumn. This resulted in very high sugar levels, but the freshness of the wine suffered.

The area under vines has more than doubled since the appellation was introduced. In 2002, around 21,568 hectoliters of wine were produced on 790 hectares. 275 winegrowers are members of the Coopérative de Frontignan wine cooperative . In addition, 24 winemakers market their products themselves.

literature

Languedoc wine region
classified wine-growing areas with an AOP or AOC designation of origin
AOC certified before 2002
Sparkling wines

Blanquette de Limoux (1938) • Blanquette méthode ancestrale (1938) • Crémant de Limoux (1990)

Still wines

Cabardès (AOC) (1999) • Clairette de Bellegarde (1949) • Clairette du Languedoc (1948) • Corbières (1985) • Coteaux du Languedoc (1985) • Faugères (1982) • Fitou (1948) • Languedoc-Cabrières (1985) • Languedoc-La Clape (1985) • Languedoc-Montpeyroux (1985) • Languedoc-Pénenas (1948) • Languedoc-Saint-Christobal (1985) • Minervois (1985) • Minervois-La-Livinière (1999) • Pic Saint-Loup (1994) • Saint-Chinian (1982)

Muscat wines

Muscat de Frontignan (1936) • Muscat de Lunel (1943) • Muscat de Mireval (1959) • Muscat de Saint-Jean-de-Minervois (1949)

AOC certified after 2002

Corbières-Boutenac (2005) • Languedoc-Grés de Montpellier (2003) • Languedoc-La Méjannelle (2011) • Languedoc-Quatourze (2011) • Languedoc-Saint-Christobal (2011) • Languedoc-Saint-Dézéry (2011) • Languedoc -Saint-Georges d'Orques (2011) • Languedoc-Saint-Saturnin (2011) • Languedoc-Sommières (2011) • Limoux (AOC) (2004) • Malepère (2006) • Picpoul de Pinet (2013) • Saint-Chinian -Berlou (2005) • Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun (2005) • Terrasses du Larzac (2014)


Regions not certified according to AOC or AOP

Vin de Pays (Languedoc)

The AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée) has been the protective designation since 1992, which has replaced the national designation AOC (Appellation d'Origine Controlée) in France. Regions classified as AOC before 2002 may continue to use their old designation.
The order of the regions within the groups is alphabetical.