© P. Maxim Massalitin
Muscat du Cap Corse is the appellation for sweet wines made from Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains grown on the northern Cap Corse peninsula of Corsica. The wines have been made here for centuries, but were only granted full AOC status in 1993.
Traditionally, the Muscat grapes used to make Muscat du Cap Corse were left to dry out in the sun, resulting in a considerable concentration of their natural sugars. These days, the grapes are picked at 14–15% potential alcohol and made into a Vin Doux Naturel by the process of mutage.
The Cap Corse peninsula is a northern extension of Corsica's mountainous spine, extending for 25 miles (40km) out into the Ligurian Sea. The peninsula's peaks rise to more than 4300ft (1310m) and then drop rapidly down to sea level over just a few miles. Vineyards located on the lower slopes, and on steep sites surrounding the hillside villages, produce grapes for Muscat du Cap Corse, Vin de Corse Coteaux du Cap Corse and IGP Ile de Beaute.
