Wine region | |
Official name | Clairette de Die AOC |
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Type | Appelation d'origine contrôlée |
Year established | Clairette 1942; Crèmant 1993 |
Years of wine industry | over 2,000 |
Country | France |
Part of | Rhône Valley |
Other regions in Rhône Valley | Crémant de Die |
Climate region | Mediterranean |
Size of planted vineyards | 1,500 |
No. of vineyards | 300 |
Grapes produced | Muscat blanc, Clairette |
Wine produced | natural sparkling |
Comments | 2005 |
Clairette de Die (French pronunciation: [klɛʁɛt də di]) AOC is a natural sparkling white wine from the Rhône Valley region in France. It is made from the Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (75% minimum) and Clairette (25% maximum) grape varieties.[1] It is characterized by its peach and apricot flavours and rose and honeysuckle aromas, and is usually drunk young at a maximum of two years, and served chilled at a temperature of 6°C to 8°C.[2]
Crémant de Die from the same area and same producers is a prestige dry, natural sparkling wine of apple and green fruit flavours and fragrance and is vinified by the traditional method of a first fermentation in the vat followed by a second fermentation in the bottle. Originally produced from 100% Clairette, Aligoté and Muscat are now included. It is usually drunk as an aperitif but it can equally accompany a meal. At 7% or 8 % ABV, it contains less alcohol than most sparkling wines.