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Sommelier Section - Bill Vance

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You've heard me say it before. What grows together, goes together. I love that expression. Nature's way of trying to make sure we enjoy our next dinner party. One of the best examples of this comes from the Atlantic coast of France.

Given our local supply of fresh seafood, it isn't hard to imagine that the salty coastline of our across-the-pond neighbours also produces a wide variety of seafood in abundance. The coastal region outside the city of Nantes is known for seafood. It is in this area that we find one of the world's best seafood wines, Muscadet.

Many of you may be familiar with Muscadet but I suspect most of you have not yet experienced its minerally, tart and delicious character. It is made from a relatively obscure grape called Melon de Bourgogne. Okay, you can forget that tidbit of information as you won't see that name used anywhere else.

Currently, there are only two different Muscadet available in New Brunswick. Fortunately, one of them is of very high quality. Basic Muscadet can be somewhat boring but the good stuff, referred to as Muscadet de Sevre et Maine 'Sur Lie' is much more interesting.

This is the fourth and highest level of quality and is worth seeking out. Sevre and Maine are two rivers in the area and these names on a wine label are quite common. But make sure you look for the 'Sur Lie' designation.

Sur Lie relates to a winemaking process that keeps the grape juice exposed to the winemaking yeast for an extended period of time. This allows the wine to pick up flavour complexities that can include bread dough, yeast, and mineral. This is a good thing.

The process also includes a risky procedure that involves almost no wine 'handling' before bottling. This allows the wine to stay very fresh and fruity. For this reason, most Muscadet should be enjoyed within two years of bottling.

Muscadet has a clean and crisp character that is totally refreshing. Along with the mineral notes, I can almost sense the faintest tingle of saltiness but perhaps that's just me going too far with the Atlantic Ocean reference.

Sometimes Muscadet can be so fresh that they almost seem to have a hint of effervescence. Muscadet flavour is muted, almost delicate but always pleasant. It won't overpower your food but will effortlessly elevate it. If you're getting tired of heavy wine flavours, this is a wine for you.

Muscadet is wine for a hot summer day. It is also wine for virtually all seafood but in particular all types of shellfish. Look up almost any list of the best food and wine matches and you will often find Muscadet paired with raw oysters. Many mussel recipes will recommend cooking with Muscadet - a hard thing to do once you open a bottle and sample the contents. Muscadet is a great wine discovery. I love it's simplicity - and the seafood, too.

n Bill Vance is a professional Sommelier and organizer of the World Wine & Food Expo. See this week's recommendation on page 18. He can be reached at bestbuywine@rogers.com.