Muscadet

Muscadet ( " Vignoble du Muscadet ") is the name of a vineyard at the end of the Loire Valley on the west coast of France. In Muscadet dry white wines made ​​from the grape Melon de Bourgogne are generated.

• 3.1 Sur lie predicate

History

Even from a decree of the Roman emperor Probus shows that the area has wine-making tradition. The Melon grape was first cultivated there in the 16th century. After a hard frost in 1709 destroyed most of the vineyards in the region, the species might completely prevail. Dutch merchants who were involved in many places on viticulture, also promoted the cultivation of the variety and distilled much of the wine to fruit brandies, which they sold in Northern Europe.

Location

The Muscadet is located near the mouth of the Loire, in the immediate south and east of the city of Nantes, and covers an area of about 13,000 hectares. It is located entirely in the department of Loire -Atlantique, bordering the department of Maine -et -Loire and Vendée. The Muscadet area belongs to the Pays Nantais and thus to the Loire wine region.

Appellations

The Muscadet region is divided into four appellations:

• The Muscadet ( appelation générale, covers an area of about 3400 hectares, Appellation d' Origine (AOC ) since 1937)
• Muscadet Sevre et Maine that ( since the order dated 9 October 1995, AOC since 1936, covers an area of about 8800 hectares). The most famous area in Muscadet. Here you will find over 80% of wine production takes in Muscadet.
• The Muscadet - Côtes de Grandlieu ( since the adoption of 29 December 1994, AOC since 1994, covers an area of ​​about 300 hectares). The micro- climate of this area is particularly influenced by the Lac de Grand -lieu.
• The Muscadet - Coteaux de la Loire ( since the decree of November 14, 1936, AOC since 1936, covers an area of ​​about 200 hectares). The wine is known as the spiciest of the Muscadet.

Municipalities in the Muscadet

Approved vineyards are located in 54 municipalities:

Vendée

Cugand, Rocheservière, Saint- Hilaire -de- Loulay, Saint -Philbert -de- Bouaine

Maine -et -Loire

Saint- Crespin -sur- Moine, Tillières, Chaudrons -en- Mauges

Loire -Atlantique

Aigrefeuille- sur- Maine, Barbechat, Basse- Goulaine, Le Bignon, Le Boissiere du Dore, Bouaye, Bouguenais, Brains, Carquefou, La Chapelle -Basse -Mer, La Chevrolière, Corcoué -sur- Logne, Corsept, Frossay, Gétigné, Legé, La Limouzinière, Le Loroux - Bottereau, Le Pallet, Monnières, Mont Bert, Nort- sur -Erdre, Le Pellerin, La Planche, Pont -Saint -Martin, Port -Saint -Père, La Remaudière, Remouillé, Rezé, Saint- Aignan -de- Grand -Lieu, Saint- Colomban, Saint- Étienne -de- Corcoué, Saint- Herblain, Saint- Hilaire -de- Clisson, Saint -Jean -de- Corcoué, Saint -Julien -de- Concelles, Saint- Léger- les- Vignes, Saint- Lumine -de- Clisson, Saint- Lumine -de- Coutais, Saint-Mars -de- Coutais, Saint -Philbert -de- Grand -Lieu, Sainte- Pazanne, Saint- Sébastien- sur -Loire, Saint- Viaud, Les Sorinières, Les Touches, Touvois, Viellevigne

Production

For the production of dry white wines the grape Melon de Bourgogne is exclusively licensed. Before the fermentation of the minimum natural sugar content of the must should be 144 g / l, which corresponds to an alcohol content of 9% by volume of the wine. If a Chaptalisation is approved in bad years, the alcohol content of the finished fermented wine may not exceed 12 % by volume. The planting density was set at 6500-7500 vines / hectare. The average yield is limited to 5565 l / ha ( in the Muscadet appellation higher), the annual production is 646,000 hectoliters.

Sur lie predicate

To be allowed to carry the designation sur lie, the wines stricter income limitations must be subject to and remain after fermentation at least until March 1 of the year following the harvest in the fermentation tank in contact with the lees. The bottling is done then immediately after tapping, but no later than 30 November of the harvest the following year. The longer contact with the yeast and the skins gives the wine a more complex flavor and a greater freshness. In addition, the wine retains a slight carbonation, so that the wine slightly tingles. Some traders practice a different technique: the wines are deducted from the individual winemakers from the shells and the yeast and taken to the cellars of the merchants. Only after a sufficiently large batch has been obtained, the wine carbon dioxide is added to give the wine its fine effervescence back again; but the result is not as good. First-class Muscadets sur lie can therefore only be -bottled, which can be recognized by the label bearing the words Mise en bouteille au Château or Mise en bouteille au Domaine.

Storage

Most Muscadets should be drunk within three years, however there are exceptions to this rule: Some Muscadets can easily ten years stored, depending on the soil on which they are grown and out of the production process used. The optimal drinking temperature is around 10 ° C.

Taste

A Muscadet is usually a simple and uncomplicated wine that stands out for its freshness, fruitiness and by its light effervescence. It tastes slightly salty mineral, with aromas of citrus and apple. He is a good companion of fish and seafood and locally appreciated as a thirst quencher due to its not too high alcohol content. Muscadet and Gros Plant wines such similar du Pays Nantais are classic accompaniment to oysters.