Gaston le mouton
Vigne
Clairette de Die and wines

A unique French vintage

Enjoy a glass of Clairette de Die of international repute: fruity, sweet, sparkling and with a low alcohol content.  Also try the dry sparkling Crémant de Die, the woody, fine and elegant Coteaux de Die, or the red rosé and white Châtillon-en-Diois wines. Follow the ‘Chemins des Vignes’ or the ‘chemins de la Clairette de Die’, to appreciate these outstanding vineyards at the foot of the cliffs of the cliffs of the parc naturel régional du Vercors. Meet our vine growers the majority of whom are organic and visit their cellars to taste these AOC de pays wines. 

List of Clairette de Die growers

Clairette de Die, an internationally renowned star

Is Clairette ‘piquette’ (poor quality)? No, quite objectively! Trying a glass of Clairette is a must in the Pays Diois, the cradle of this vintage.

The production method of this additive free sparkling wine, following the pressing of the small grain clairette and muscat grapes, is to halt the fermentation by cooling. Fermentation then continues naturally from the sugar in the grapes. This is what is called the « la méthode dioise ancestrale ». Since the time of the Voconces, a Gallic tribe, Clairette de Die has become THE wine to accompany desserts for all the Diois festivities and Clairette is the top sparkling wine in France by volume. 260 growers work in what are the highest AOC vineyards in France, reaching 744 metres at Menglon. One third of the vineyards are organic.

In this sparkling landscape, the Crémant de Die is also produced; a ‘brut’ wine made using clairette, aligoté and muscat grapes, with the addition of a ‘liqueur de tirage’ to help it sparkle, as specified by the ‘méthode traditionnelle’ (the same as is used in Champagne).

 

Did you know?

Maison Jaillance

The Pays Diois is an unmissable part of the « Clairette, Drôme Vallée », destination, known as « Vignobles & Découvertes », part of the programme of the Fascinant Week-end d’octobre and features on the « Chemins de la Clairette » with 8 walks through the heart of the vineyard. Tourism providers offer vineyard themed events, wine growing information or local produce. Entering a ‘Vignobles & Découvertes’ establishment is to choose wine tourism offering quality products.

Tasting idea

We suggest trying Clairette with spring rolls or a slice of ginger bread/Bleu du Vercors cheese for a sweet and sour taste, also for dessert with a ‘pogne de Romans’ or a Zézé cheese (a patented product based on an unctuous meringue with cream, produced in Luc-en-Diois and Die). At aperitif time, Crémant de Die goes well with houmous on a blini. 

Gaston le mouton
Gaston the sheep Mascot of the Pays Diois

The three colour Châtillon-en-Diois wines enjoy a boom

Still wines of the Diois

One of the most attractive villages in France, Châtillon-en-Diois, at the foot of the cliffs of the Vercors, at 500 metres altitude is surrounded by AOC vineyards which are amongst the highest in France and which are nearly all organic. Some are biodynamic. 

This high-altitude vineyard is characterised by around 70 ‘cabanons’ (stone barns) dotted around the vineyards. The red and rosé wines of Châtillon-en-Diois are made with gamay, syrah and pinot noir grapes.

Le Blanc is produced in 13 communes, using aligoté and chardonnay grapes. The more secretive Coteaux de Die is 100% clairette grape based and is mainly found around Saillans. At a time of global warming, altitude preserves the aromas and acidity of these increasingly noble AOC mountain wines.

 

Cabanon de vigne

Did you know?

Vigne et cabanons

The Sentier des Vignes, starting at the Domaine de Maupas at Châtillon-en-Diois, takes you into the heart of the vineyard characterised by its ‘cabanons’. The grass between the rows of vines (to prevent erosion when it rains) also reduces the vigour of the vines, concentrating the aroma of the grapes. The rose bushes at the head of each row warn the growers of the appearance of mildew.

Tasting idea

A ‘coteau de Die’ is in perfect accord with smoked trout on toast and a Châtillon-en-Diois red with the "Carré de Picq" (patented raw ham in square form, hand sewn and matured for 9 to 15 months in Die) or a Picodon (firm and strong goat cheese).

Gaston le mouton
Gaston the sheep Mascot of the Pays Diois

The producers and wine cellars of the Clairette de Die

Set off on a journey to understand a historic technique

List of Clairette de Die producers and wine cellars

Vendange

Alcohol abuse is bad for your health. To be consumed in moderation.

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