MuscaDay 2013

Tom's House - Washington, DC
Tasted Sunday, February 24, 2013 by isaacjamesbaker with 625 views

Introduction

I was thrilled when some muscadet-collecting friends decided to throw MuscaDay 2013, a celebration of this zesty white. About 15 people all got together at a house in Washington, DC, and tasted through 20-something bottles of muscadet. The spread was packed with all sorts of oysters (muscadet and oysters is one of my all-time favorite pairings), along snow crab legs, lobster tail, prawns, white crab meat and dipping sauces… Like any wine from any region, the producer matters most. Luckily for us, MuscaDay 2013 featured the best winemakers. We also covered a range of vintages as well as some of the most exciting single-vineyard wines in the region. I was like a kid at the beach taking notes on these wines, and I broke them all down by producer. Here goes…

Flight 1 - Opening Sparkler (1 Note)

  • NV Domaine de Montbourgeau Crémant du Jura 88 Points

    France, Jura, Crémant du Jura

    Bright and briny nose with salt and sea shells. The palate is incredibly tangy with lots of acid and minerals. Whipped honey and limestone flavors last long onto the finish. Very crisp and light, no nutty, biscuity flavors here.

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Flight 2 - Luneau-Papin (5 Notes)

  • 1997 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie "L" d’Or 90 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie

    Aromas of lemon peel, orange peel, sea salt and beeswax. Pure and tangy on the palate, with a solid minerals and hardcore acidity. Flavors of green apple, sea salt, oyster brine, sea shells. Rich wax and nut flavors make this a complex wine. Some thought this wine was a bit muted, but I think it's just gotten a bit more restrained with age. Still wonderful.

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  • 2002 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie "L" d’Or 89 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie

    Aromas of lemon, grapefruit and brisk minerals. On the palate, this shows more plump and fruity aspects than the '97. Bright green apple, orange peel, sea salt, crushed rocks and salty minerals last long onto the finish. At 11 years old, this has a good five more ahead of it easily.

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  • 2005 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie "L" d’Or 90 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie

    Aromas of crushed sea shells, East Coast jetty rocks, hints of seaweed, but also some fresh lemon and potpourri. Rich and buttery on the palate, with lots of creamy pear and yellow flowers, but the acidic verve keeps everything else in check. This has a lot going for it, and I think it could age for another ten years easily.

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  • 2009 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie "L" d’Or 89 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie

    Aromas of yellow pear, green melon, salt, apple peel. The palate is pure and fresh, with yellow and green fruits. Nice acidic cut (maybe not as much as other vintages, but still high). I get those usual crushed rocks and citrus peel flavors, but I get more of an herbal kick from this wine. Salty finish. I'd like to try it in another five years to see what it does.

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  • 2007 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Semper Excelsior 91 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine

    Simply superb. Aromas of lemonhead candy, mango and limestone. The palate is rich and plush, with orange pulp and white flowers. I love the richness, but it still shows intense mineral and acidic verve. This and lobster with butter... incredible pairing.

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Flight 3 - Marc Ollivier (6 Notes)

Flight 4 - André-Michel Brégeon (2 Notes)

  • 2004 André-Michel Brégeon Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Gorges 92 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine

    A complex and philosophical Muscadet. Aromas of apricot, honey, green melon, grapefruit rind, minerals and beeswax. The palate is pure and honeyed with rich melon fruit, but the crushed rocks and mineral notes keep it zesty. I love the fruit and length of this wine, and it will continue to improve for a long time.

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  • 2005 André-Michel Brégeon Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Reserve 89 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine

    Candied grapefruit and lemon peel on the nose. On the palate, green melon mixes with key lime, salt and dried honey. Pure and fresh, with a long and salty finish. Classic 2005 Muscadet, and it could develop even more intensity over the next five years.

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Flight 5 - Domaine de la Louvetrie (3 Notes)

Flight 6 - Bonnet-Huteau (2 Notes)

Flight 7 - Mixed Muscadets (3 Notes)

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