Rugged Coast. Good Muscadet should be three things — refreshing, inexpensive, and served next to something from the sea. At its best Muscadet is a dry, precise white wine that’s the pinnacle of freshness. Grown near the mouth of the Loire River, Muscadet is at once brisk and hearty — the essence of the windswept Atlantic coast.
It’s also inexpensive and abundant. Wine writer Lettie Teague calls it “one of the world’s best, if most obscure, bargains,” saying ““a glass of $8 Muscadet will always be a better wine than an $8 glass of something else.” With our focus on Burgundy, most of our white wines are north of the $25 mark; but a really good bottle of Muscadet can be had for less than $15.
Freshness. We discovered the Domaine Martin-Luneau in the only way Muscadet should be discovered: over a few dozen oysters on the outdoor patio of a bistro in Nantes last June. The finest Muscadets are raised “sur lie” (on the lees) to add complexity, and both of Martin-Luneau’s cuvées contain this distinction. Their “Cuvée Deux Roches” is bright and crisp, with lime rind and melon in the nose, and zippy, refreshing acidity in the mouth.
The marriage with seafood is so harmonious it’s hard to think of reasons for other suggestions: grilled fish, pan seared scallops, steamed lobster, and most perfectly, oysters. Last night we enjoyed a bottle with moules marinières and fresh bread; the match was fantastic. But for the fish-phobic, we’ll admit it’s also a delicious thirst quencher for a salty cheese.
________________________
MARTIN-LUNEAU Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine 2010
Ansonia Retail: $19
case, half-case: $14.95/bot
_
AVAILABLE IN 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS
_
or call Tom: (617) 249-3657
_
_
_____________________________
Sign up to receive these posts in your inbox:
_
_____________________________
________________________
