The CLAIRETTE DE DIE(Tradition) is an original wine, which has been known since ancient times. PLINY THE ELDER's Natural History in 77 AD, and other later texts, notably in the 14th century, testify that the Clairette de Die production area was very quickly protected by regulations forbidding the importation of wines from outsides the district. There are also many anecdotes testifying to this wine's natural sparkling qualities.
In the past the INAO (Institut National des Appellations d'Origine des vins et eaux-de-vie)
has been very quickly to recognise the merits of CLAIRETTE DE DIE, which already featured in the list of future
appelations in 1910 and received the appelation contrôlée designation in 1942.
A new amended decree was issued in 1971, adding details concerning the ancestral Dioise method, known in the past
as the Rural Method.
The CREMANT DE DIE et CÔTEAUX DE DIE A.O.C. appeared in 1993.
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THE VINES |
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The Clairette vine gives the wine its delicacy and its lightness whereas the Muscat vine gives its typical and sweet flavour.
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White Clairette |
Small grape White Muscat |
AOC
White Clairette
White Muscat
Clairette de Die Tradition
10 à 25 %
75 à 90 %
Crémant de Die
100 %
0 %
Côteaux de Die
100 %
0 %
The vineyard 1300 hectares of appelation contrôlée
CLAIRETTE DE DIE vines, spread out over 32 villages. It is a vineyard made up of small properties on clay ans limestone
hillsides which are difficult to work but t which, owing to the soil, the climate,rigourous selection of vines
and very attentive cultivation of the vine (an ancestral tradition), produce very refined wines with an individual
flavour. It is worth noting that the vineyard's altitude (over 700 metres in places) makes it one of the highest
in France.
The size of the Crémant de Die AOC represents 400 hectares and the Côteaux de Die AOC 50 hectares.
Those 3 AOC have a yield of 60 hl/ha.
