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MUSCAT DE BEAUMES DE VENISE
"DOMAINE DE DURBAN"


This domain is one of the older in Beaumes de Venise. Located on the " Colline d'Urban ", it covers a 40 Ha vineyard, 14 Ha are planted with Muscat. The vinification and the bottling is made by the Leydier Family for many generation.
This Muscat is outstanding: the colour is golden, aromas are intense and complex (citrus aromas, lemon and peppery mint). The persistency in mouth is endless. This wine can be drunk as an aperitif, with foie gras or with desserts and fruits.

History

Making Muscat is an old tradition in Beaumes de Venise. Its fame spread thanks to the Pope of Avignon, around the year 1300. During the 14th century, the vineyard is more or less 70 Ha. In 1760, Fornéry, the historian of the region writes about Beaumes de Venise: " We make there a very good Muscat, the grapes are ripened earlier and are better than anywhere. " Mistral, the poet, fell in love with this wine and honours it. The Controlled Appellation Fortified Wine Muscat de Beaumes de Venise has been attributed in 1945 for a production at this period of some hundred of hectolitres.

The Controlled Appellation

Two villages are allowed to produce Muscat: Beaumes de Venise and Aubignan. The surface is around 350 Ha for a production of 10 000 Hl. This fortified wine is made of one grape variety: Muscat à petits grains (small grape berries). The yields are low and the grapes have to be harvested with at least 252 g of sugar per litre of must. The fermentation is stopped by adding neutral alcohol, this process is called " mutage ". The right to produce Muscat de Beaumes de Venise is given after gustatory and analytic controls: the percentage of alcohol must be between 15 and 18%, the richness in sugar has to be over 100g/litre.

The soil

The landscape in this area is due to grey limestones and to red marls. Sand is also part of the soil dated the Jurassic period. Beaumes de Venise enjoys a micro climate with an extreme sweetness , sheltered of the freezy wind called " Mistral ".

Distinctions

Millésimes 1994 et 1995 : Coup de Coeur du Guide Hachette 1997

Combining Food & Wine

"Domaine de Durban" Muscat de Beaumes de Venise with Marbled Duck Foie Gras, veal sweetbreads and morel mushrooms by Frédéric Lamy.
Click here.