A grape too good for wine? In France, where le vin is adored and admired and where only the fruitiest, juiciest of raisins would normally find their place in the most elegant of bottlings?
Not the Chasselas doré de Moissac (golden Chasselas of Moissac) , a remarkable raisin de table (table grape) that not only holds an AOP label (appellation d’origine protégée) for excellence, but whose cultivation was listed in France’s inventory of intangible cultural heritage in 2017.
It is named after the Tarn-et-Garonne gem of a town – which also boasts a spectacular abbey with a masterfully sculpted Romanesque portal – that, towards the end of the 19th century, became the thriving hub of the ‘chasselatiers’, skilled pruners and hand-pickers of grape bunches.
This Bas-Quercy (Lower Quercy) region offers unique growing conditions for fruit: plenty of water, at the confluence of the Tarn and Garonne rivers; an average temperature of 10°C and moderate rainfall moderate – the Tarn-et-Garonne also produces Melon du Quercy, for example. Today 29% of its agricultural area is occupied by orchards and vineyards, while Moissac is the only town to boast an Uvarium, built in 1933 on the banks of the river Tarn and a remnant of a vogue for grape juice cures. Visitors today can admire the striking interior frescoes in the Art Deco style.
Nicknamed the grain doré (golden berry) because of its round shape and the skin on the berries, production of this translucent grape with a high sugar content is carried out in 205 farms identified for the PDO process, over 424 hectares in 76 communes. Harvesting begins at the end of August and continues until the first frosts.
On average, 3,000 to 4,000 tonnes are harvested – a relatively low amount which adds to the fruit’s prestige (and price!)
Such is the esteem in which they are held, as well as their delicacy, that the grapes are packed only in small crates in a single layer. Another notable characteristic is the suppleness of their branches, while in the mouth you can taste subtle notes of honey and flowers.
To make sure you are buying authentic ones, keep an eye out on the packaging for the words “Chasselas de Moissac” in the largest letters on the label, as well as the name of the producer.
Gadget inspector
Confiture confidential: Mauviel’s copper classic
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Make jam in style with a classic copper pan from MauvielMauviel
The French are committed jam makers, using the summer’s récolte of red fruits or autumn’s apples and pears. Make your own confiture fait maison (homemade jam) in style with this magnificent bassine à confiture from iconic cuivre (copper) pan manufacturer Mauviel, based in Villedieu-les-Poêles, Normandy.
Eco-friendly brewery turns leftover bread into beer
Parisian brewer La Mie collects unsold bread in order to replace up to 30% of the usual malt to make its craft beers. This virtuous ‘short circuit’ production ethos is completed with other French-grown cereals, all without compromising on flavour. Choose from IPA, blonde and white beers; mixed pack of 12, price €42.
La Mie uses unsold bread in its beer brewing processLa Mie
