AOC MUSCAT DU LANGUEDOC ROUSSILLON

PRODUCTION REGULATIONS 
The yield per parcel may not exceed 28 hl/ha with business derogations depending on the vintages. The only grape type used is the small berry Muscat. They must be matured to a minimum level of 252 g of sugar per liter (approximately 14°). Natural sweet wines are made exclusively by the harvester and producers. The alcohol used for mutage must be 96% volume wine alcohol. 5 to 10% is added compared to the must prepared. The final alcohol content must be between 15 and 18°. 

MUSCAT DE FRONTIGNAN (AOC SINCE 1936)
The vineyards are located between the Vic La Gardiole lagoon and the Thau lake close to the community of Frontignan. The soil is argilo-calcareous with increasing sand content approaching the Mediterranean. The twisted bottle has become a symbol of this appellation. 

MUSCAT DE LUNEL (AOC SINCE 1943)
These vineyards are established around the town of Lunel, halfway between Montpellier in Nimes, bovine country and cocarde bullfighting (a type of bullfighting game where the bull is not killed). The appellation is located on clay soil with red, siliceous, fragmented stones. These soils can be considerably deep.

MUSCAT DE MIREVAL (AOC SINCE 1959)
These vineyards are located at the edge of the Vic La Gardiole lagoon close to the community of Mireval along the road linking Montpellier and Sete. These soils were formed during the Jurassic period with a high content of limestone fragments. 

MUSCAT DE SAINT JEAN DE MINERVOIS (AOC SINCE 1949)
These vineyards are situated at an altitude of 250 meters on calcareous air cell soils. These are shallow soils where limestone fragments mix with red clay. The Mediterranean climate is tempered by the altitude.

KEY FIGURES 
Frontignan
797 ha
1 cave cooperative
26 caves particulières 

Lunel
321 ha
1 cooperative wine producer 
26 private wine producers 

Mireval
260 ha
1 cooperative wine producer
9 private wine producers

Saint Jean de Minervois
195 ha
1 cooperative wine producer
8 private wine producers 
Sales 
38 000 hl 
(storehouse outputs 2005/06) 

General Distribution : 49%
Export : 5% 
Source CIVL