Muselet

French · wire cage

The muselet is the wire cage that holds the cork against the pressure; the first wire cages were made around 1880.1,2

It has a metal cap on top of the cork, the plaque de muselet, which often shows the producer's name.1,3 Before wire cages, string (ficelle) was tied by hand over the corks, and the agrafe clip was used to hold tirage stoppers.2

The Champagne specification requires the cork to be held by such an attachment.4 Today a museleteuse fits the cage automatically.1 See corking and opening.

See also

Cork and wire cageMethodsPlaque de museletGlossaryBouchonGlossaryOpening a bottleServingInventions: cork, bottle, riddling, museletHistory

Sources

  1. Union des Maisons de Champagne. Corking and muselage
  2. Union des Maisons de Champagne (UMC). The history of the muselet and its collectable plaque
  3. Comité Champagne (champagne.fr). Corking, shaking and final inspection
  4. Cahier des charges de l'AOP « Champagne » - modifications approved by the INAO national committee on 11 September 2024 (national opposition procedure text) (2024-09-11)

Facts checked on 2026-10-19