Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine

The Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine appellation spans 23 communes southeast of Nantes and takes its name from the two rivers that flow through the vineyards: the Petite Maine and the Sèvre Nantaise. The Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine vineyard covers more than 9,000 hectares and is characterized by soils with a highly varied structure of igneous and metamorphic rocks from the Armorican Massif, consisting mainly of gneiss, mica schist, greenstone, and, to a lesser extent, granite. The entire vineyard benefits from a temperate oceanic climate with rainfall distributed throughout the year. From one end of the vineyard to the other, climatic characteristics are more nuanced. This situation stems from varying distances from the coastline, the Loire River, or other bodies of water. Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine wines were granted AOC status by a decree in 1936.

Annual production amounts to 418,000 hectoliters. The appellation’s primary grape variety is Melon de Bourgogne, also known as Muscadet. The crystalline rocks in the southeast of Nantes lend it greater finesse than the areas with sedimentary rocks. It is one of the earliest-ripening appellation grape varieties in France. Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine wines are often full-bodied with good aging potential depending on the terroir. Among the many producers in the appellation, we highlight wines from estates such as Domaine Pierre Luneau Papin, Domaine Brégéon, Domaine Joseph Landron, Domaine de l’Ecu, and Domaine de la Pépière.

Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine wine may bear the "Sur Lie" designation: at the beginning of the century, Nantes winemakers used to set aside the best barrel of the harvest to celebrate major family events. Kept without racking, this "wedding barrel" gave the wines a distinctive character. They were fresher on the palate and had a more complex bouquet. Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine “Sur Lie” was born.