|
Melon de Bourgogne (AKA Muscadet)
Maps from Lonely Planet -- The Loire
The Melon de Bourgogne winegrape is grown in France near the Atlantic
Ocean end of the Loire valley, near the city of Nantes. It originated
in Burgundy (Bourgogne is the French name for Burgundy.) The wines
from this grape in this region are called "Muscadet". Muscadet should
not be confused with the various "Muscat"s which are a different
winegrape, or "Muscatel" (which in America is simply a generic name
for any sweet wine made from Muscat grapes, but is more famous for
being a fortified Muscat wine from Portugal), or "Muscadine" which is
an entirely different family of grape (Muscadinia Rotundifolia; most
wines are made from Vitis Vinifera).
Europeans have long been aware that this wine is the best wine
ever made for seafood. Hugh Johnson states "... for seafood,
there is the incomparable match of Muscadet" (1). I feel he's
understating it <grin!>
The Muscadet region produces about 5 million cases of this wine
annually (2). When visiting Paris, I've found that there's Muscadet
displayed in most every wine shop window, and on most restaurant wine
lists. This is also true in Britain -- Muscadet wines
are commonplace (3). Yet it's virtually unknown in America... Some
wine specialty shops will carry it, and an occasional fine restaurant,
but that's about it.
Melon de Bourgogne was brought to America in 1939 by Georges de
Latour. For many years the wines were labeled,
incorrectly as Pinot Blanc, which is an
entirely different winegrape (4).
Several California producers have produced a labeled Melon de
Bourgogne wine in the past, including Merlion and Beaulieu Vineyards,
though I know of none at this writing. A few California wineries are
reputed to produce wines from this grape, though labeled as Pinot
Blanc (5). There are but three examples of this wine from American
producers that are actually labeled as Melon de Bourgogne, all from
Oregon. Washington State has one significant planting, although the
vineyard is not yet mature enough to produce commercial quantities of
wine.
If you've not tried this wine before, we strongly encourage you to
drop by your favorite wine shop and get a bottle -- they
may have one or two French Muscadet wines. (It's unlikely that
they'll have any of the aforementioned as the American plantings are
so rare. If your wine shop does have any of them, you've found a gem
of a shop!) If they have none, that's no surprise. However, if they
don't immediately offer to order some for you, then you've learned
something about your local wine shop, haven't you? (6)
References:
(1) Hugh Johnson's "Modern Encyclopedia of Wine (1987)
(2) Don Philpott, The Vineyards of France (1987)
(3) Lempriere family visits to France & Italy (2004); Jersey (Channel Islands) & England (2000)
(4) Melon de Bourgogne History
(5) ibid
(6) Mike Lempriere, author of MikeL's WA Winery Guide, 2004
|
