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Val de Loire · Pays nantais · Dry white

Muscadetterroir, soils & grape varieties

At the mouth of the Loire, around Nantes, Muscadet is the great dry white of the ocean. Made solely from melon de Bourgogne and often aged on the lees (sur lie), it is the quintessential oyster wine — crisp, light and saline. The regional appellation covers the entire Nantais vineyard.

The White Wine of the Estuary

The regional Muscadet appellation covers the entire Nantais vineyard, around Nantes, where the Loire flows into the Atlantic. It is the broadest of the Pays Nantais appellations, encompassing more specific appellations such as Muscadet Sèvre et Maine. It produces only dry white wine, made from melon de Bourgogne, a grape variety that came from Burgundy and has been acclimatised here for centuries.

Terroir, Sur Lie and Style

The soils, predominantly silty and sandy, rest on the crystalline bedrock of the Armorican Massif, of great geological diversity. As throughout the Nantais vineyard, Muscadet may carry the designation "sur lie": aged for one winter on its fine lees, it gains freshness and a characteristic light sparkle.

The result is a dry white wine, light and crisp, with floral and fruity notes, to be drunk young. Oceanic and thirst-quenching, it is the perfect match for shellfish, oysters and fish — a wine of immediate pleasure and excellent value for money.

The grape varieties of Muscadet

Melon de Bourgognesole grape variety ("muscadet") — freshness and floral notes
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Sources: Wikipédia — Muscadet (AOC)