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Welcome to The Sommomlier. I write about wine and motherhood. Because sometimes one leads to the other. Let's geek out together.

Clos de la Senaigerie Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu Sur Lie 2013

Clos de la Senaigerie Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu Sur Lie 2013

I'm on a bit of a Loire Valley kick at the moment, so I chose to write about Muscadet Sur Lie, which is from the Nantais subregion. Muscadet wines are made with the Melon Blanc grape and if the term "sur lie" is on the label, as with the wine I chose, it means that after fermentation, the wine remained in contact with its lees (the dead yeast cells) until bottling. Most wines are removed from their lees after fermentation, but if the lees are left in contact with the wine during maturation, they will impart bready aromas and flavors like dough or biscuit, give the wine more body and a rich texture, and also keep the wine fresh. 

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Muscadet Sur Lie is bottled directly from the barrel in the spring following harvest, so the wine should be very fresh tasting with delicate flavors. The Clos de la Senaigerie wine definitely lived up to that. The nose and palate both showed notes of grass, green apple, lemon, chamomile, and biscuit. The wine had a soft, creamy texture and a slight bubbly sensation, which is a trait not uncommon with this style of wine. Oysters are a classic pairing for Muscadet wines since the subregion is located on the Atlantic coast. I don't eat oysters at home as I'm 98% certain that I would shuck off one of my fingers. So, I paired it with tilapia in a lemon cream sauce and Nasa's Unexplained Files because my nerdiness extends beyond wine. 

Clos de la Senaigerie Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu Sur Lie 2013: Thumbs up! Delightful and perfect for Spring. $15.99

Penfolds Bin 8 Cabernet Shiraz 2012

Penfolds Bin 8 Cabernet Shiraz 2012

Damilano "Marghe" Langhe 2011

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