Chateau de Jau, Chez Jau, Muscat de Rivesaltes, Roussillon, France - 50cl

This wine could be the genesis of my life long obsession. As a teenager I took part in a few tours playing music around Europe, one of which took me to Roussillon in the south of France. The family I was put up with had some vineyard in Rivesaltes and made wine. And they gave me some to try... The rest, as they say, is my life history in wine.

Founded in the 12th century by the Cistercians, this Chateau Jau is now owned by the Dauré family. In the back country of Roussillon, in the Agly valley, inland from Perpignan and just north of the Spanish border, Chateau Jan is a pioneer of wine-tourism, having opened a restaurant and contemporary art gallery back in the 1970's. 

Here the landscape is arid, the soils poor but the weather is tempered by the proximity of the Mediterranean and the Tramontane wind which blows year round, helping to keep the vines healthy and disease free. It is a landscape of vines, cyprus and olive trees.

This wine is made using Muscat à Petits Grains picked early in the morning to keep it fresh and kept sweet by mutage, adding grape spirit to stop fermentation. Beautifully aromas of white flowers and fresh grapes, delicately sweet with refreshing acidity. 

Producer - Chateau de Jau
Country - France
Region - Roussillon
Variety / Blend - Muscat    
Wine Style - Sweet Wine
Farming - Biodynamic
Vegan