Muscadet Sèvre et Maine
The Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine wine-growing region is part of the Pays Nantais and thus the Loire wine-growing region . Since November 14, 1936 (the last change to the decree took place on February 12, 1999), the area has the status of an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC for short). The wine-growing region is on the orographic left side of the Loire near the city of Nantes . An average of 530,000 hectoliters of wine are harvested annually on a planted vineyard area of approx. 9740 hectares . Until October 9, 1995, the area was still called Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine.
Approved vineyards are located in the commune of Sèvremoine in the Maine-et-Loire department and the 21 communes of Aigrefeuille-sur-Maine , Basse-Goulaine , La Chapelle-Heulin , Château-Thébaud , Clisson , Divatte-sur-Loire , Gorges , La Haie -Fouassière , Haute-Goulaine , Landréau , Loroux-Bottereau , Maisdon , Monnières , Mouzillon , Le Pallet , La Regrippière , Saint-Fiacre , Saint-Julien-de-Concelles , Sainte-Lumine-de-Clisson , Vallet and Vertou in the department Loire-Atlantique .
In the north the area borders on the appellation Muscadet-Coteaux de la Loire and in the east on the area Muscadet-Côtes de Grandlieu . The area is drained by the Sèvre Nantaise , Maine , Moine and Sanguèze rivers .
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% by volume in the wine (→ must weight ). If a chaptalization is approved in bad years , the alcohol content of the finished fermented wine must not exceed 12% by volume. The planting density was set at 6500-7500 vines / hectare.
The yield has been limited to 55 hl / ha since 1993. In certain years this amount can be corrected up to 72 hl / ha. It should be noted that the yield in 1936 was limited to 40 hl / ha.
In order to be allowed to bear the name Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine sur lie , the wines must remain in the fermentation tank in contact with the fermentation yeast after fermentation 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. However, some dealers practice a different technique. The wines are drawn off the skins and the yeast at the individual winemakers and brought to the vendors' 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 nowhere near as good. First-class Muscadet 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 .
A Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine is usually a simple and uncomplicated wine that impresses with its freshness, fruitiness and its light mousse. It is a good companion to seafood and is also valued locally as a thirst quencher due to its not too high alcohol content. It is best enjoyed young and fresh at a drinking temperature of 8 to 10 ° C.
Establishment of communal appellations
Since January 2017 there are also three municipal AOCs in the area of the AOC Muscadet Sèvre et Maine. In detail these are:
- Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Gorges, whereby the grapes may come from the municipalities of Gorges, Clisson, Monnières or Mouzillon.
- Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson, whereby the grapes may come from the municipalities of Aigrefeuille-sur-Maine, Château-Thébaud, Clisson, Gorges, Maisdon-sur-Sèvre or Saint-Lumine-de-Clisson.
- Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Le Pallet, whereby the grapes may come from the communes of La Chapelle-Heulin or Le Pallet.
Otherwise, the same regulations apply as for the regional appellation.
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 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Institut National de l'origine et de la qualité . inao.gouv.fr. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
- ↑ Institut National de l'origine et de la qualité . inao.gouv.fr. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
- ↑ Institut National de l'origine et de la qualité . inao.gouv.fr. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
