Champagne Wishes: Muscadet Sevre & Maine Sur Lie Domaine de la Tourmaline 2010 from Renowned Producer Gadais Pere & Fils Imported by Xavier Flouret and Cognac One is Just Perfect for Spring Says Peachy Deegan!
Though the calendar needs a bit of time to catch up, the weather is telling us that definitively Spring is Here! C'est printemps in Manhattan, which is French for spring, bien sur! (of course). So, we turn to our friend the esteemed Xavier Flouret to find a nice white from France that is versatile and distinctive and this one happens to have a lot of value as well. Xavier, you are correct, it is absolutely gorgeous! You remember Xavier is so well-ranked in Champagne Wishes he has even drank The Peachy Deegan:
It comes from Gadais Père & Fils, one of the most renowned producer of Muscadet. They appointed Cognac One as its exclusive U.S. importer. Bravo Xavier! Cognac One will exclusively feature Domaine de la Tourmaline Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie and will also distribute the wines in New York State.
Following posts in California and South Africa and most notably having run Sancerre’s celebrated Domaine Laporte for eight years, Christophe Gadais took over the Domaine from his influential and traditionalist father in 1994. He has since committed the vineyard to the environmentally friendly low-intervention rules of “Lutte Raisonnée”. Every summer Gadais performs a “Green Harvest” in order to yield healthier and riper grapes with greater concentration and intensity.
Split among some of the finest sites right at the confluence of the Sèvre and the Maine Rivers, Gadais’ 47 hectares of vines include 13 hectares of schist slopes in Saint Fiacre from which Domaine de la Tourmaline is produced. The famous vineyards around Saint Fiacre showcase a crisper, more complex and mineral wine with exceptional richness and weight after a long maturation on its lees.
The Muscadet vineyards are located near the mouth of the Loire River, west of most other Loire Valley vineyards, south of Brittany and north of Vendée. Melon de Bourgogne, sole variety to produce Muscadet, was introduced in the 16th century to the banks of the Loire River and is known to be strongly resistant to mildew and frost.
Domaine de la Tourmaline 2010 displays aromas of white blossom along with notes of citrus and exotic fruits. On the palate, the wine is dry, crisp with a fine acidity and a soft texture. Refined and fresh, La Tourmaline pairs well with seafood. Obviously, a must are oysters and it compliments lobster and shrimp nicely. Enjoyable simply as an aperitif or with lighter fare such as salads, La Tourmaline is also a beautiful match for Chinese and Thai cuisine.
The suggested retail price of Domaine de la Tourmaline 2010 is $13.99.
Gadais Père & Fils was previously imported by Robert Chadderdon Selections.
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Did You know?
For a Muscadet to be called “sur lie”, the wine must be in contact with the lees until it is bottled between March 1st and June 30th or between October 15th and November 30th of the year following the harvest. No filtration or racking is allowed before bottling. The Muscadet “sur lie” will generally display a softer texture and a rounder, richer, longer finish.
