Noilly Prat and the Chamber of Secrets

The World-leading vermouth maker welcomes visitors to Marseillan where they still use a 156-year old recipe

Why not experience a piece of living history?

Produced to a secret recipe, Noilly Prat Original Dry vermouth has been made in Marseillan on the Mediterranean coast since 1850s. Unspoiled by progress, this house of tradition welcomes visitors.

Photo: On the harbourside at Marseillan a worldwide brand

A vermouth is a matured and fortified wine flavoured with herbs and spices. It’s the secret blends of the latter which give the drink its distinctive taste and aroma. This is an old and very Mediterranean story. The Greeks were using these techniques in 400 BC.

The Romans developed them further and then came Joseph Noilly in 1813. In those days of sail, wines transported by ship would mature during the long voyage. The wine would absorb the taste of the barrel. In the open air, some liquid would evaporate through its porous oak sides. This reinforced the wine’s flavour and strength.

Joseph Noilly would exploit all this to make a distinctive new aperitif. After starting in Marseille, the business moved to Marseillan in the 1850s. It made sense to build the new premises next to this busy little port surrounded by vineyards. Cargoes of spices from across the globe could unload directly into the factory and finished products could leave the same way.

Photo: A living museum in Noilly Prat's visitor centre

The vermouth story begins with its mistelle base, a mixture of alcohol and sweet wine from Spain. Visits start with the Chai des Mistelles, a hall where this magic potion matures in tuns up to 40,200 litres.

Photo: The sweet wine base matures in the Chai des Mistelles

Then come the local wines...

Stretching along the nearby Etang de Thau lies the Languedoc’s largest white wine producing terroir - Picpoul de Pinet. This limestone plateau basking in the morning sun is covered in strongly perfumed garrigue, the vines interspersed with occasional pine groves. The wines are green-gold in colour, full-bodied and show lemon flavours.

To balance the acidic Picpoul, another local white, Clairette, will be added. The two of them will mature separately in Canadian oak barrels for up to a year. Here’s the other reason that Noilly Prat is at Marseillan. The wines are matured outside in the humid Mediterranean air, just as they would on board a sailing ship. Around 6% of the contents will evaporate from each barrel.

Now for the part that’s pure sorcery. Each product contains its own blend of twenty or more herbs and spices. Sweet Orange comes from north Africa, perhaps a vestige of that first ever free trade area, the Mediterranean.

Coriander and Nutmeg arrive from Indonesia. Their voyages would have been longer before France built the Suez Canal.

The herbs are found closer to home - Yellow Gentian, Chamomile, Centaurea and others start their journeys in France.

Photo: Herbs and spices come from across the World

Visiting this Herb Room is to be transported to some nineteenth century emporium in the mysterious East.

Photo: Herbs and spices on display in the Herb Room

In the Salle des Secrets, mistelle, local wines, herbs and spices are mixed together in oak tuns. This mixture will stay there for three weeks, fussed over and stirred lovingly every day. At first the plants float but gradually they’ll sink to the bottom.

Photo: The Salle des Secrets where each product has its magic formula

The ingredients and their proportions are Noilly Prat’s innermost secrets, known only to the Maître de Chai, Jean-Louis Mastoro.

Only Maître de Chai, Jean-Louis Mastoro knows the secret of each magic potion

When Joseph Noilly started this story all those years ago, he only thought of aperitifs. He couldn’t have imagined the world of cocktails which was to come. Much of the company’s international success would come from Martinis, Manhattans and their like.

That first product, Noilly Prat Original Dry is still there today and made to the original recipe. It’s clear in appearance with golden tints and boasts aromas of camomile, gentian, nutmeg and...well...that would be telling.

For the cocktail market, there’s now Noilly Prat Rouge, somewhat sweeter with a hint of cloves and nutmeg.

The latest model, a mere fifteen years old, is Noilly Prat Ambre, especially for the export market and so only available here at Marseillan. It’s smooth and sweet with notes of orange, vanilla and cinnamon. Just the thing to accompany a strong cheese like Roquefort or Stilton.

But don’t take my word for it...

Photo: New kid on the block - Noilly Prat Ambre

Noilly Prat welcomes visitors from March to November (Tel 0033 (0)4 67 77 20 15). Guided tours are available without appointments during opening hours (10:00-11:00 and 14:30-16:30).

At an extra charge and by appointment, there’s also a “Visite Maître de Chai” where Jean-Louis Mastoro accompanies visitors, followed by a tasting session.

As usual, we include below, a selection of Pure France holiday rental homes in the vicinity of Marseillan.

Related links :

• http://www.noillyprat.com/default.aspx
• http://www.purefrance.com/34277/holiday-rental-villa.php
• http://www.purefrance.com/34159/self-catering-holiday-villa.php
• http://www.purefrance.com/34229/self-catering-home.php
• http://www.purefrance.com/34441/self-catering-holiday-apartment.php