Muscadet
Muscadet ( "Vignoble du Muscadet" ) is the name of a wine-growing region at the end of the Loire Valley on the west coast of France . In Muscadet, dry white wines are made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape variety .
history
A decree of the Roman emperor Probus already shows that the area has a wine-growing tradition. The melon grape was first grown there in the 16th century . After a hard frost in 1709 destroyed most of the vines in the region, the variety was able to prevail. Dutch traders who were involved in viticulture in many places also encouraged the cultivation of the variety and distilled a large part of the wine into fruit brandies, which they sold in Northern Europe.
location
The Muscadet is located near the mouth of the Loire , immediately south and east of the city of Nantes and covers an area of about 13,000 hectares. It is entirely located in the Loire-Atlantique department and borders the Maine-et-Loire and Vendée departments . The Muscadet area belongs to the Pays Nantais and thus to the Loire wine-growing region .
Appellations
The Muscadet area is divided into four appellations:
- the Muscadet ( appelation générale , covers an area of about 3400 hectares, Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) since 1937)
- the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine (since the decree of October 9, 1995, AOC since 1936; covers an area of about 8,800 hectares). Probably the most famous area in Muscadet. This is where over 80% of Muscadet's wine production takes place.
- the Muscadet-Côtes de Grandlieu (since the decree of December 29, 1994, AOC since 1994; covers an area of about 300 hectares). The microclimate 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.
Parishes in Muscadet
Approved vineyards are located in 54 municipalities:
Vendée
Cugand , Rocheservière , Saint-Hilaire-de-Loulay , Saint-Philbert-de-Bouaine
Maine-et-Loire
Chaudrons-en-Mauges , Sèvremoine
Loire-Atlantique
Aigrefeuille-sur-Maine , Basse-Goulaine , Le Bignon , Le Boissière-du-Doré , Bouaye , Bouguenais , Brains , Carquefou , La Chevrolière , Corcoué-sur-Logne , Corsept , Divatte-sur-Loire , Frossay , Gétigné , Legé , La Limouzinière , Le Loroux-Bottereau , Le Pallet , Monnières , Montbert , 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
Only the Melon de Bourgogne grape variety is permitted for the production of dry white wines . Before fermentation , the natural minimum sugar content of the must must be 144 g / l, which corresponds to an alcohol content of 9% vol. In the wine. If a chaptalization is approved in bad years , the alcohol content of the finished fermented wine must not exceed 12% vol. The planting density was set at 6500-7500 vines / hectare. The average yield is limited to 6500 l / ha, or 5500 l / ha for sur lie wines. The annual production is 646,000 hectoliters.
Sur lie award
In order to be allowed to use the designation sur lie , the wines must be subject to stricter yield restrictions and, after fermentation, remain in contact with the fermentation yeast in the fermentation tank at least until March 1st of the year following the harvest. Bottling takes place immediately after racking , but no later than November 30 of the year following the harvest. The longer contact with the yeast and the skins gives the wine a more complex aroma and freshness. In addition, the wine retains a slight carbonic acid content , so that the wine tingles slightly. Some traders practice a different technique: the wines are drawn off the skins and the yeast at the individual winemakers and brought to the traders' cellars. Only after a sufficiently large batch has been obtained, carbon dioxide is added to the wine again to give the wine its fine mousse again; however, the result is not nearly as good. First-class Muscadets sur lie can therefore only be producer bottlings that can be recognized by the label with the note Mise en bouteille au Château or Mise en bouteille au Domaine .
storage
Most Muscadets should be drunk within three years, although there are exceptions to this rule: Some Muscadets can be stored for ten years without any problems, depending on the soil in which they are grown and the production methods used. The ideal drinking temperature is around 10 ° C.
taste
A Muscadet is usually a simple and uncomplicated wine, which impresses with its freshness, fruitiness and light mousse. It tastes slightly mineral and salty, with aromas of citrus and apple. It goes well with fish and seafood and is also valued locally as a thirst quencher due to its not too high alcohol content. Muscadet and similar wines such as Gros Plant du Pays Nantais are classic companions to oysters.
Web links
- Muscadet.org: website of the wine region (Vins de Nantes)
- Article about two winemakers who came to court because of their Vin Breton marketing
- Website of the Institut National de l'origine et de la qualité
Individual evidence
- ↑ Institut National de l'origine et de la qualité . inao.gouv.fr. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
literature
- Jancis Robinson : The Oxford Wine Lexicon . Gräfe and Unzer Verlag, Munich 2003, ISBN 3-7742-0914-6 .
- Pierre Galet : Cépages et Vignobles de France . Lavoisier Publishing House, Paris 2004, ISBN 2-7430-0585-8 .
- Benoît France: Grand Atlas des Vignobles de France . Éditions SOLAR publishing house, Paris 2002, ISBN 2-263-03242-8 .
