Clairette de Die — The Rhône Valley's Aromatic Sparkling Treasure

Clairette de Die is unlike any other sparkling wine in France. Produced in the valley of the Drôme, a tributary of the Rhône, it uses an ancient production method that predates Champagne by centuries, and the primary grape variety — Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains — gives it an aromatic intensity found nowhere else.

The Méthode Dioise Ancestrale

The traditional Clairette de Die (Tradition) is produced by the méthode dioise ancestrale — one of the world's oldest sparkling wine production methods:

1.    The partially fermented grape must is bottled before fermentation is complete

2.   Fermentation continues naturally in the bottle, producing CO2 that gives the wine its bubbles

3.   The wine is then filtered and re-bottled without disgorgement

4.  No addition of liqueur de dosage — the sweetness comes entirely from the grapes' natural residual sugar

The result is a wine with:

→    Natural sweetness — not sugary, but gently honeyed from residual grape sugars

→    Lower alcohol — typically 7-9%

→    Soft, gentle bubbles — less intense than Champagne

→    Extraordinary floral aromatics — rose water, lychee, orange blossom, grapefruit

Two Styles

Clairette de Die Tradition — at least 75% Muscat, the aromatic and gently sweet version described above. The flagship of the appellation.

Clairette de Die — 100% Clairette, made by the traditional method, producing a drier, more neutral style.

Perfect Occasions

Clairette de Die Tradition is perfect as an aperitif, with desserts, or with moderately spiced food. Its low alcohol and gentle sweetness make it ideal for afternoon drinking or as an aperitif for those who find dry Champagne too austere.