I just have to share this wonderful, wonderful discovery I just enjoyed. Sparkling Muscadet. If you are not familiar with this grape, it’s pretty neutral, meaning ‘nothing overly exciting’. BUT it will pair with many dishes (like oysters, shrimp and mussels), so it makes for an easy dinner companion. It’s dry, and usually has a hint of mineral and slight citrus for notes. It’s cousin is a Muscat, which is typically made into a sweeter wine, so don’t get this one confused with that one!

Many Muscadet will say “sur Lie” on the label which means, on the lees, the wine will sit with the dead yeast cells after fermentation until bottling to give the wine more character, texture and softness. And most Muscadet will come from Sèvre-et-Maine, a sub-region within the region of the Loire Valley. In case you were wondering 😉

This one was Domaine de la Pépière “Pépie Bulles” Muscadet NV from the Loire Valley in France. Discovered at Grapes & Soda in Vancouver where they focus on natural wines. It was sooo delightful! It sounds crazy, but the first note I was picking up was… double bubble. Remember the gum with the cartoon? You could only chew it for a few minutes before it became so hard it hurt your jaw! ha ha. Back to the wine… There was a hint of this on the nose and then it became refreshing and crisp, with a hint of citrus, and a lift of energy from the bubbles. Not too crisp and not too ‘neutral’ – the perfect way to begin an evening!

Discover Muscadet… but start with the Sparkling version!!