TN: In quest of becoming a Muscadet-holic

T

Tim York

Tim York
I have had excellent Muscadet from Domaine de l’Écu and Luneau-Papin, but not for some time as neither are easily available without a lot of driving since the Carrefour chain dropped Luneau-Papin’s Clos des Allées from its range. The rest in the supermarkets and nearby wine shops leave me indifferent. Friends have urged me to try Pépière and I found this on a trip to Brussels, so here goes.

Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie 2008 Domaine de la Pépière Alc.12% - (c.8). I think that I was unlucky with this bottle because of the faint presence of fungal aromas (TCA?), which may be acceptable in a complex ageing Burgundy but not in a supposedly vibrant young(ish) sea food friendly bone dry white. Otherwise the qualities which I were looking for were there, namely crisp acidity, abundant minerals veering to salt on the finish, fresh white fruit and some slight underlying “gras”. What a pity! But I’ll persevere with this estate. I also bought a bottle of their Les Gras Moutons 09, which I will open as soon as suitable sea food appears at home. This bottle NR.

So, as yet, my fidelity to Chenin from Anjou and Touraine is unshaken but I am trying.
 
Tim -- Did your bottle have a synthetic cork? My experience is that a 2008 with a synthetic cork is getting a little long in the tooth.
 
originally posted by Claude Kolm:
Tim -- Did your bottle have a synthetic cork? My experience is that a 2008 with a synthetic cork is getting a little long in the tooth.
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Claude, it was a natural cork.

I hate synthetics. As you say, the wine tends to evolve much faster and I know of no way to tell whether bottles have them without opening them. I've been caught more than once giving excessive ageing to bottles with synthetic closures.
 
Tim -- I think that producers owe it to their customers to indicate on the bottle if a synthetic cork is used, but I've yet to see it done. I do indicate in my reviews if a synthetic cork is used, and if so, I advise early drinking.

The reason I asked the question is that for the last several years, the most basic Pépière Muscadet offered for sale in the US has been sealed with a synthetic cork.
 
The second half of basic Pépière 2009 arrived to the US under cork, and it appears all of 2010 did as well.

Interesting about 2008 existing under cork as well - this means the European markets were targeted with a different closure. This is consistent with some German producers ( cork vs SC ).
 
This one was more like what I am looking for.

Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie Les Gras Moutons 2009 - Domaine de la Pépière - Alc.12%.

Bracing bouquet like a sea breeze and palate like mountain spring water flavoured with some lively green fruit and suffused with grainy minerals, lively acidity and hints of salt on the finish. I was expecting even crisper acidity but this may be a function of vintage. It called out for oysters and perhaps a little more body and flesh was needed to be ideal with cod in a quite acidic sauce; 16/20++.

Very nice but this still does not wean me off my addiction to Chenin from more upstream along the Loire.
 
originally posted by Tim York:
This one was more like what I am looking for.

Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie Les Gras Moutons 2009 - Domaine de la Pépière - Alc.12%.

Bracing bouquet like a sea breeze and palate like mountain spring water flavoured with some lively green fruit and suffused with grainy minerals, lively acidity and hints of salt on the finish. I was expecting even crisper acidity but this may be a function of vintage. It called out for oysters and perhaps a little more body and flesh was needed to be ideal with cod in a quite acidic sauce; 16/20++.

Very nice but this still does not wean me off my addiction to Chenin from more upstream along the Loire.
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I suspect that you're correct about the effects of the vintage, as the '09s in my experience have been fuller and rounder at the expense of crispness (all relative, though). Do give a few '10s a try, as I think that you'll find more in line with your expectations.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by Tim York:
This one was more like what I am looking for.

Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie Les Gras Moutons 2009 - Domaine de la Pépière - Alc.12%.

Bracing bouquet like a sea breeze and palate like mountain spring water flavoured with some lively green fruit and suffused with grainy minerals, lively acidity and hints of salt on the finish. I was expecting even crisper acidity but this may be a function of vintage. It called out for oysters and perhaps a little more body and flesh was needed to be ideal with cod in a quite acidic sauce; 16/20++.

Very nice but this still does not wean me off my addiction to Chenin from more upstream along the Loire.
Click to expand...

I suspect that you're correct about the effects of the vintage, as the '09s in my experience have been fuller and rounder at the expense of crispness (all relative, though). Do give a few '10s a try, as I think that you'll find more in line with your expectations.

Mark Lipton
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I think that 2009s will behave like 2005s. That is, the 2005 Briords has shrugged off its baby fat. It'll never be the bracing beauty that the 2002 is, but it is certainly nice right now. I will drink all but a bottle or two this summer.
 
originally posted by VLM:

I think that 2009s will behave like 2005s. That is, the 2005 Briords has shrugged off its baby fat. It'll never be the bracing beauty that the 2002 is, but it is certainly nice right now. I will drink all but a bottle or two this summer.
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That sounds perfectly sensible. As I intimated when I said "relatively," I would never turn down an '09 Muscadet from a decent producer as they are still very lovely wines. However, as you say, they will never have the "bracing beauty" of the finest vintages there. I can't wait to try the '10s, as I have high hopes for them.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by Brian C:
originally posted by MLipton:

I can't wait to try the '10s, as I have high hopes for them.

Mark Lipton
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2010 Briords is my favorite of the last several vintages.
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+n

and the "bracing acidity" that the n00bs and freshman chem dropouts are going on about is hardly the whole story
 
originally posted by VLM:
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I knew I'd find VLM in one of these chat rooms. Drinking 2010 L'Ancien in bodyweight quantities by now, I assume ?
 
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