Clisson, Muscadet Sevre et Maine Clisson, Loire, France 2020

The Wine.

A rich but zesty, bottle-aged Muscadet from the hallowed granite vineyards of the Clisson Cru. 12.5% abv, with quince and ripe citrus fruit, mineral notes and a long, clean finish. This is serious, mature Muscadet, perfect for drinking now, and a revelation to those who have only tried the younger styles.

The Estate.

The Papin brothers, Damien and Vincent, are fifth generation winemakers with 27 hectares of vines on the Clisson/Saint-Crespin-Sur-Moine border. The estate is certified as HVE (Haute Valeur Environnementale) in recognition of their commitment to enriching the environment, and this year they were awarded the 'Grand Prix Regional du Muscadet Sur Lie'.

The Appellation.

The Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie A.O.C. is an Atlantic influenced appellation just to the east of Nantes. It is named after the rivers Sèvre and Maine that flow though it before joining the Loire. Melon de Bourgogne is the only grape allowed under the A.O.C. rules and the wines must be aged sur lie (on the dead yeast cells) before filtering and bottling in March - November of the year following harvest. This lees contact can give the wines a slight yeasty richness.

Clisson is a small 'Cru Communal' in the south of the Sèvre et Maine region. Yields here are lower and the grapes are harvested at a riper stage of development. On top of this, in order to qualify for the A.O.C. the wines must also be aged on the lees for at least 2 years before bottling. This gives them added complexity and ageing potential.

N.B. Offer closes on Monday 29th June. The wine will be delivered in late July.