by Fred McMillin for July 9, 1997 Jumpin' Jehoshaphat, Whadda Muscat! Prologue: "The long stretch of Mediterranean seaboard from Marseilles to the Pyrenes has been for centuries past, and still is, the home of the Muscat grape. [Most of] the best dessert wines of France come from the coastal vineyards"...by the legendary Andre Simon in his "The Noble Grapes and the Great Wines of France" The Rest of the Story: One of those "best dessert" Muscats is made at the east, Rhone end of that coastal region. The winery is named Domaine de Coyeux, located northeast of Avignon at the town of Beaumes de Venise. Its Muscat vines are now 40 years old and at their peak. Even the most hardened critics call Coyeux Muscat "incredibly rich." To its delight, Paris discovered this wine a decade ago. Now it's your turn. 1994 Muscat de Beaumes de Venise Domaine de Coyeux Owners—Yves & Catherine Nativelle USA Contact—Christine Deussen, Clicquot, Inc., NYC, (212)888-7575 $20 Postscript: Make this the feature of your dessert course. I suggest serving it with thin slices of semi-sharp white cheese on slightly-sweet crackers. If you prefer a more conventional dessert, serve with a fruit pie and French vanilla ice cream. About the Writer Fred McMillin, a veteran wine writer, has taught wine history for 30 years on three continents. He currently teaches wine courses at San Francisco State and San Francisco City College and is Northern California Editor for American Wine on the Web. In 1995, the Academy of Wine Communications honored Fred with one of only 22 Certificates of Commendation awarded to American wine writers.	Read more articles by Fred McMillin in the eGGsf Welcome to WineDay, the electronic Gourmet Guide's daily update. Monday through Thursday, WineDay presents a wine profile. Then on Fridays we present the Winery of the Week to take you through the weekend Current WineDay January WineDays February WineDays March WineDays April WineDays May WineDays June WineDays 07/08/97 The Leap, From Bordeaux to Stags 07/07/97 Call Up the Reserves? 07/04/97 Winery of the Week Palmer Vineyards 07/03/97 The Two Black Opals 07/02/97 An Underground Chardonnay 07/01/97 B & G? Oui, Oui!
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