2022 La Pigade Muscat Beaumes, De Venise, (750ml) Rhone Valley, France
2022 La Pigade Muscat Beaumes, De Venise, (750ml) Rhone Valley, France
The 2022 La Pigeade Muscat is not made with botrytis. It pairs with dishes like fruit tarts and chocolate mousse plus savoury options like foie gras and soft cheeses. Its balance of sweetness and acidity makes it an elegant choice.
Variety: 100% Muscat (Healthy grapes, zero Botrytis)
Region of Origin: Beaumes De Venise, Rhone Valley, France
Tasting Notes
The colour is pale yellow with brilliant gold reflections. The nose is intense and powerful featuring honeysuckle, orange blossom, apricot, passion fruit, and honey. The palate is rich and full-bodied with concentrated flavours of peach, apricot, and honeysuckle. The sweetness is balanced by a fine minerality, leading to a harmonious and lingering finish. This wine pairs excellently with fruit tarts, chocolate desserts, or can be enjoyed as a digestif.
Wine Making
The wine is crafted by Thierry and Marina Vaute, proprietors of Domaine de la Pigeade in the Rhône Valley, France. Since 1996. The Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains grapes, known for their aromatic intensity, are hand-harvested at optimal ripeness to ensure a balance of sugar and acidity. Grapes are gently crushed and pressed to extract the juice while preserving the delicate aromas of the Muscat grape. The juice undergoes a controlled fermentation process in stainless steel tanks at low temperatures. This preserves the fresh and fruity characteristics of the wine. Before the fermentation process is complete, a neutral grape spirit is added to the wine to stop fermentation. This process, known as mutage, preserves natural grape sugars, resulting in a sweet, fortified wine. The wine is aged briefly in stainless steel or concrete vats to retain its fresh, fruity profile.
The Vineyard
Situated at the base of the Dentelles de Montmirail, a dramatic limestone mountain range, Beaumes-de-Venise benefits from its picturesque and geologically diverse setting. The vineyards extend across steep slopes and terraces, primarily around the villages of Beaumes-de-Venise and Suzette, offering excellent sun exposure. The combination of exceptional terroir, meticulous vineyard management, and the unique climatic influences ensures that the wines of Domaine de la Pigeade, including their Muscat, showcase extraordinary depth, elegance, and aromatic complexity.