mousseux [moo-SEUHR]
A French term that means “sparkling” or “frothy.” It’s used to refer to all sparkling wines except those produced in the Champagne region, which are the only ones allowed to be called Champagne. Sometimes referred to as vins mousseux, these sparkling wines are produced all over France, and there are some twenty that have achieved AC status. The ACs of Blanquette de Limoux, Clairette de Die Tradition, Crémant d’Alsace, Crémant de Bourgogne, cremant de Loire, Gaillac, Montlouis, Seyssel, and Vouvray all produce good vins mousseux. Most of these sparkling wines are made by méthode champenoise, although some are still made by méthode rurale (rural method).
The New Wine Lovers Companion, 2nd Edition, by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Copyright © (1) 2003, 1995 by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational Series, Inc.