Most French wines are named for their appellation, the district where they are grown: Chablis (a district of Burgundy that only produces Chardonnay), Pomerol (a district of Bordeaux that produces blends predominantly of Merlot), Pauillac (a district of Bordeaux that produces blends predominantly of Cabernet).
In the Alsace region of France, wines are names for their varietal (type of grape) such as Pinot Blanc, Riesling or Pinot Gris.
Reading a French wine label takes a lot of knowledge about regions and districts and varietals. I have a fairly base of information from which to work. And then…just when I have all of the rules down…the exceptions start to pop up.
One of these is Muscadet. It is not named for the Loire Valley from whence it comes. It is not named for Melon de Bourgogne, the grape from which it is made. Nope.
It is named for a trait of muskiness that wines from this grape had once-upon-a-time, when they were grown in Burgundy. Of course, they’re not grown there anymore. And, equally confusing, they have no hint of muskiness whatsoever.
What Muscadet does have is lovely. It is light and dry, but not tart. It has an inherent creaminess, cut by a slight fizziness on the tongue. It has a distinct mineral quality, but is not sharp. It has floral and fruitiness on the nose and on the palate.
So…while its label breaks all of the French labeling traditions makes it sound like it’s: ‘not one thing or the other’. It turns out that Muscadet is ‘one thing and the other’…and the other and another thing besides.
This is a white wine drinker’s white wine. It has something for everyone and nothing to offend anyone. It goes well with all kinds of fish and lighter dishes, but the minerality has the ability to cut through richer items like cheese and cream sauces.
It’s perfect for the fall when we don’t know from one minute to the next what the KC weather will be like. If it warm, serve the Muscadet with some grilled seafood. If it’s cool outside, sauté that seafood with a little cream and garlic and serve over pasta. Really hot out? Marinate that seafood with lime and chiles and then throw in some avocado for a quick ceviche. Freak September snowstorm? Turn that seafood into chowder.
Or, have a glass of Muscadet while you’re cooking any of the above (or anything else, for that matter.) It’s a perfect aperitif. Wine of the week: Domaine de l’Aujardiere Muscadet, Cotes de Grand Lieu 2010 $14.99 available at Vino Bello. Check out our website at http://www.plazawine.com.
