If you like a crisp, dry white…try Muscadet
Looking for a refreshing white wine to sip on after a day spent in the summer heat? Look no further than Muscadet!
In case you missed our updates on the blog in May, Muscadet is a crisp white wine made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape, a variety that was brought to the Loire centuries ago from Burgundy. Though no longer grown in Burgundy, the grape flourished in the Loire, in the Pays Nantais in particular. Today, it is the largest white wine appellation in France, including three regional appellations: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire and Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu.
If you typically drink crisp, light-bodied whites and have never had Muscadet, this is a wine you should try. Despite being a rather neutral grape, Melon de Bourgogne achieves its best expression in the Loire, where it takes on a sea breeze type quality. With refreshing minerality and what has been described as a “sea salt” flavor, Muscadet has firmly established itself as a perfect seafood accompaniment, particularly with oysters. Nonetheless, it’s delicious on its own as an aperitif.
On some bottles you’ll notice the words sur lie on the label, which means that the wine has been aged on its lees, or dead yeast cells, for some time before bottling. This gives fullness to the wine and also a slight carbonation, creating added freshness.
Best drunk young, a chilled Muscadet is the ideal crisp, dry white for a summer evening. So, next time you’re looking for a wine this style, seek out a Muscadet!