Regarded both locally and internationally as the leading estate in AOC Beaumes de Venise, this is the wine they are most famous for. A classic “Vin Doux” using both black and white Muscat for increased complexity and outstanding balance. An absolutely perfect wine for Fois Gras, as a dessert wine, or chilled on its own. If you like sweet wines, you will love this!

CHARACTERISTICS

The colour shows hints of amber and weathered gold. Intense and complex nose with cooked preserved fruit aromas lifted by citrus notes. Powerful yet balanced on the palate developing prevailing white peach, pear and apricot flavours. Serve chilled between 7 and 8°C as an aperitif or dessert wine. Goes very well with foie gras, Roquefort cheese or even stands up well to chocolate. Domaine des Bernardins’ Muscat ages well, turning copper-coloured, richer and rounder with a very long finish. It will mature well for 20 years or more.

THE WINERY

A family estate for five generations, the family started making wine at the beginning of the 19th Century at Domaine des Bernardins. The property was previously owned by Bernardin monks (hence the name) before being transformed into a wine estate. Mr Louis Castaud was the first one to show real concern about how the village’s traditional production had almost disappeared and he was very much involved in achieving appellation status for Muscat de Beaumes de Venise in 1945 after 10 years of hard work. It is now considered a Premier AOC for sweet wines. His family were able to make Domaine des Bernardins thrive by combining know-how and traditional values with some of the very grapes in the AOC. Today his daughter Renée Castaud is still active in day-to-day life at the estate and his granddaughter Elisabeth, her husband and their son Romain now make the wine. Hommage was created a number of years ago as a tribute to Louis Castaud and is unique in the AOC for using a Rancio style multi vintage approach for dramatically increased complexity and a world class final wine.