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INTRODUCTION
Whereas the Bordeaux wines we have learned about in January are dominated by blends, most Loire wines are single grape varietals. Throughout February we will cover the famous and not so famous wines of the Loire valley. We will start at the mouth of the Loire and gradually work our way up river.
LOCALITY
The lower Loire is on the Atlantic coast below Brittany and the area we will be covering this week is the area around Nantes. Sometimes this area is referred to as Le Pays Nantais. The most famous wine is Muscadet. Being near the coast the wines are often referred to as seaside wines and sometimes they even have a briny taste. The area is about as far north as grapes have traditionally been grown in France and thus the weather and especially the sun make the wines taste different each year.
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| 3 Muscadet Severe et Maine Sur Lie Whites |
VARIETALS
The top white grape grown around Nantes is the Melon de Bourgogne which is sometimes called Muscadet. This is a fairly neutral grape but is suited to the local climate and soils. As can be seen from the name the grape originally came from Burgundy and the Dutch introduced it to the region. It is rarely used elsewhere.
THE WINES
There are four AOCs which are available in Muscadet. The basic Muscadet AOC is to be avoided and the one to look out for is Muscadet Sevre et Maine. The others are Muscadet Coteaux de Loire and Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu. The very best wines are the Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur lie. The “sur lie” indicates that the wine has been kept in contact with the sediment or dregs for a long period after fermentation, often 6 months. This gives the wine additional flavour, freshness and sometimes a little fizz. Although, Muscadet is well known throughout the world it does not have the reputation the best examples deserve. The great thing about Muscadet for us drinkers is that it is relatively cheap, especially in France, but the Euro exchange rate isn't doing it any favours at present.. Although, you will pay more for the top producers like Domaine de l’Ecu or Pierre Luneau-Papin they will not cost you a small fortune.
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| Le L'd'Or de Pierre Luneau 1999 |
The region does have some reds grown south of Nantes and Muscadet. These are the Fiefs Vendeens made from Gamay and Cabernet Franc grapes. This VDQS may also be seen on bottles of white and red. This is really wine for the locals and you are unlikely to see it in the UK.
The better Muscadet wines will keep for a number of years but on the whole most of these wines above are for drinking young.
THE TASTE
The taste of the Muscadet is minerally rather than fruity, but that doesn’t mean you will get no fruit. Rarely do they have any oak. They are normally very dry. You may detect some salt due to the briny winds that blow through the vineyards. The best wines have a wonderful bone dry freshness. The “sur lie” wines can have a very slight effervescence. For some the taste can be too neutral and the best wines can be very subtle.
TOP TIPS
• This is often a good value wine, particularly when buying in France. Do make sure it is from Sevre et Maine and not one of the other Muscadets and make sure it is “sur lie”. Not all Muscadet are made by good producers so go for recommended ones where possible.
• Muscadets are good for those who want to reduce their alcohol intake or don't like strong wines as they are 12% or under alcohol, which is becoming increasing rare in other wines.
HOMEWORK
For your homework this week you need to buy and try any Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur lie but if and really savour it as the good wine that it can be. If not budget constrained and if you are used to normal Muscadet do try one from a really good producer. If possible try with seafood other than prawns (lets join in the great fish fight). You might want to try one of my recommendations below:
Sainsbury’s – Taste the Difference Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur lie 2009 – about £6.
or, Majestic – Domaine de la Tourmaline Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur lie 2009 – about £7.
or, if you want to try a top producer, Slurp.co.uk – Domaine Luneau-Papin Clos des Allees 2009 Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur lie – about £12 (inc postage but you need to buy 6 bottles)
or if you want something really special, Slurp.co.uk Domaine Luneau-Papin Le L'd'Or de Pierre Luneau 1999 about £14. Another good place to pick up interesting Muscadet close to Tongham is Les Caves de Pyrene close to Guildford.
WINE REVIEW
What are you to expect if you pay £14 for a Muscadet that is over 10 years old? The Domaine Luneau-Papin Le l'd'Or de Pierre Luneau Cuvee 1999 is a very interesting example of a good Muscadet. You may get whiffs of a good Burgundy white in the nose but the taste is uniquely Muscadet with a very pleasant but subtle and neutral minerally taste. It is very dry and still incredibly fresh for a wine this age. I scored it 16 out of 20 - the best Muscadet I have tasted but not enough flavour to score higher. Would be perfect with a dozen oysters on Valentines Day!
FOOD PAIRINGS
Muscadet is the classic wine pairing for oysters but also goes well with Mussels and other seafood such as lobster or prawns. The fact that the wine is not over fruity, or oaky, means that the seafood taste really comes through. It also goes well with certain fish dishes whether simple or richer – why not experiment. You might also want to try with some chicken dishes or goats cheese and see if it suits your palate, although these are not the normally recommended pairings.
COMING SOON
Next week we continue our wine tour of the Loire Valley by travelling upstream to Saumur, Chinon and Bougeuil where we will discover the great Cabernet Franc reds.
If you missed the early weeks of this course, it is not too late to catch up, just click on the links below:
Week One – Bordeaux Basics
Week Two – Right Bank Bordeaux Reds
Week Three – Left Bank Bordeaux Reds
Week Four – Dry White Bordeaux
Week Five – Sweet White Bordeaux
An even easier way is to click on "French Wine Course" at the top of this page.
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