Melon de Bourgogne: Its Journey to Muscadet and an Array of Autumn Pairings #Winophiles

This month the French Winophiles are looking at white wines from the Loire. Jeff of FoodWineClick! is hosting. I tracked down several bottles of Muscadet for the event.

The White Wine from Loire Line-Up

• A Perfect Pairing: Sancerre Les Baronnes Henri Bourgeois with Creamed Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breasts by Our Good Life

• Coq au Vin Blanc and a Sancerre from Loire Valley by A Day in the Life on the Farm

• Getting reacquainted with an old friend, Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine by My Full Wine Glass

• Melon de Bourgogne: Its Journey to Muscadet and an Array of Autumn Pairings by Culinary Cam (you're here)

• Pork and Apples with Château Soucherie Savennières by FoodWineClick!

• Vouvray Wine and Food Pairings by Cooking Chat

Melon de Bourgogne: Its Journey to Muscadet

So, let's begin with some basics. Muscadet (pronounced “muss-kuh-day”) is an appellation in the western Loire Valley, around Nantes. And it's the name covering the white wines made from the Melon de Bourgogne (or simply Melon) grape, the varietal that was traditionally just called Muscadet.

Melon de Bourgogne (the grape from which Muscadet is made) originally came to the Loire Valley from Burgundy. It is an offspring of Pinot Noir and the nearly extinct Gouais Blanc and is related to Chardonnay, Gamay Noir, Auxerrois, and Aligoté to name a few.

Now I am going to share the first thing that I learned when this exploration began: Muscadet is not Muscat. Whoops. I've had that wrong, in my head, for years! Years.

Muscadet is a bone-dry, light-bodied white wine; muscat is often a dessert treat. And where Muscat is often boldly sweet, Muscadet is almost completely savory with notes of saline and minerality. Many discount the wine as completely neutral, but I think it's just less flamboyant and more subtly strong. That is something that I adore in a white wine.

The appellation, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, is named after the two rivers that run through the region. It is also the largest and most important region for high quality Muscadet. If the bottle reads 'sur lie' that refers to the process of aging wines on suspended inert yeast particles, called lees, and renders a wine almost lager-like with a creamy texture and rich flavor. The longer a wine is on the lees, the more yeasty it becomes. Most winemakers age their wines like this for 2 to 3 years.

I found Melon B (Melon de Bourgogne) to be a tragically under-appreciated grape that produces complex, refreshing wines that are a white wine for the whole year through. These wines were delicious matches for...

An Array of Autumn Pairings...

I already mentioned that I tracked down several bottles of Muscadet to explore. I will continue to post the recipes over the next several days, but I will detail the wines I poured here.

Pistachio Risotto, Beets and Beans, and Roasted Veggies + Famille Bougrier Muscadet Sèvre & Maine

You can see my process for making risotto in "Are You a Botanist?" Risotto. This version was very simply made with white and red onions and topped with chopped pistachios.

With my risotto, I poured the Famille Bougrier Muscadet Sèvre & Maine. The wine poured a brilliant lemon yellow with a bright, clear rim. On the nose, the wine has aromas of stone fruits and the subtle floral touch of quince. On the palate, the wine was dry, but weighty. It had a creamy mouthfeel with a medium-length finish that was crisp but not too tart. This was a fantastic pairing with the creamy rice.

Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée + 2022 Un Voyage dans les Vignes Melon B

You can see a similar recipe in my post: Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée + Déferlante Orangée 2023. But for this version I used a piece of gluten-free toast topped with marinated chevre.

This is the only wine in my exploration that is actually named for the grape, Melon B. Un Voyage dans les Vignes is made from certified organic grapes. The wine has aromas of ripe stone fruits with a layer of chalkiness. On the palate, it's a delightful and zesty wine that matched the meatiness of the onion soup.

Arroz Aragonés + 2022 Domaine du Haut Bourg Cotes de Grandlieu Muscadet Sur Lie

Arroz Aragonés is basically paella from the Aragon region. You can see a basic process in my Paella Mixta post. Arroz Aragonés, however, uses only meat and this version used chicken, pork sausage, and ground beef.

This Muscadet is a blend of grapes from several parcels located north of the Lac de Grand-Lieu, the lake to the southwest of Nantes. All of the vineyards are cultivated using Lutte raisonnée viticulture methods which I write about in my post When a Norseman Meets a Burgundian in Wine School....

In the glass the wine is slightly green with flecks of gold. On the nose there are floral aromas with layers of lemon and lime. On the palate the wine is rich and balanced.

Sea Urchin Crostini + 2020 Famille Lieubeau Muscadet Clisson

I shared the recipe for Sea Urchin Crostini (and How to Clean Urchins).

South of Nantes, Clisson is a village in Muscadet. This wine is made from organically-cultivated grapes from the Clos de la Placelière. They are hand-picked and pressed whole before being fermented with indigenous yeasts. Then the wine was aged on the lees for two years, lending it a creamy texture. The wine has aromas and flavors of candied fruits and exotic spices. I loved it with the simplicity of the sea urchin.

Roasted Duck, Fennel Salad, and Warm Potato Salad + 2023 Louis Metaireau Grand Mouton Muscadet Sur Lie

I love roasting whole ducks. This is similar to my Lucky Duck, but I have a more simplified process that I will share soon.

Louis Metaireau Grand Mouton Muscadet Sur Lie is a single varietal made with sustainably farmed, organic Melon B that are nearly 100 years old. The grapes are hand-harvested and fermented with native yeasts. Then they are aged on the lees through the Winter in a mix of concrete and glass-lined vats. The wine is bottled in the Spring without bâtonnage, fining, or filtration. A funny note: when I put this on the table, R asked if the logo was a big horn sheep or a uterus. What? 'Grand Mouton' does mean 'big sheep', but I can't unsee the uterus now!

The wine has aromas of lemon peel, green apple, and wet granite. On the palate the wine has a subtle depth with a pleasing zing.

And I still have a few more bottles to explore. I still have to create pairings for Chereau Carre Chateau de Chasseloir Muscadet Sevre Et Maine 2023 and Chateau L'Oiseliniere Muscadet Sevre et Maine de la Ramee 2022. The combined wine writers group will return with a theme for Wine Pairing Weekend that has yet to be announced. Stay tuned!