Seyssel (mousseux)
AOC since 1942 · traditional method
Seyssel mousseux is the traditional-method sparkling wine of AOC Seyssel on the upper Rhône, based mainly on Molette with some Altesse.1 It spends at least 9 months on the lees; the figures come from a 2014 draft text and may be outdated.1
Area
AOC Seyssel is small: it covers three communes, Corbonod and Seyssel in the Ain, and Seyssel in Haute-Savoie.1 The appellation was first recognised by decree on 11 February 1942.1
Grapes
Three varieties are permitted: Molette, Altesse and Chasselas.1 The base wines for the sparkling wine must contain at least 75% Molette and at least 10% Altesse.1 Together the two grapes make up at least 85% of the base wines; Chasselas has no required share. Molette is the main grape here, while Altesse is also used in Crémant de Savoie.2
Production
Seyssel mousseux is made by the traditional method, with the second fermentation in the bottle.
| Rule | Value |
|---|---|
| Molette in base wines | min 75% |
| Altesse in base wines | min 10% |
| Ageing on lees from tirage | min 9 months |
| Base yield | 75 hl/ha |
| Yield ceiling (rendement butoir) | 78 hl/ha |
Source for the table: the 2014 draft cahier des charges.1 The 9-month lees minimum matches the most common Crémant rule, for example in Crémant de Savoie.2
About the source
The only text we could open is a draft amendment of the cahier des charges submitted to the national opposition procedure in June 2014.1 It is more than ten years old, and later amendments may have changed the grape shares, yields or ageing rules. Treat the figures above as the 2014 draft rules, not as confirmed current rules. Production volumes were not found on an official page.
See also
Sources
- INAO. Projet de modification du cahier des charges AOC « Seyssel » (PNO, avis 26 June 2014) (2014-06-26)
- Ministère de l'Agriculture (BO-Agri). Cahier des charges AOC « Vin de Savoie » ou « Savoie » (arrêté du 25 Aug 2021, BO-Agri 16 Sept 2021) (2021-08-25)
Facts checked on 2026-10-19