2020 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Le Verger, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$21.00USD

From one of the top producers of Muscadet, this is a crisp white and excellent value.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is clean with crushed shells, salinity, and slight lemon.  Medium bodied.  A bit rounder in texture than many Muscadets.  On the palate, minerals, crushed shells and slight lemon.  Good finish.  This wine is nice on its own but better with food.  A great choice with shellfish, but also nice with Artichoke Dip (not an easy match).  Drink over the next few years.  

2019 Domaine Michel Bregeon Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie, France, Loire Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$19.00USD

I have always felt that Muscadet can age better than given credit for.  Yes, with age it loses some of that raw crispness, but it rounds out and can get almost Chablis-like.  Of course, that depends on the producer.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is classic with salinity/crushed shells along with lanolin and a hint of citrus.  Medium bodied.

2019 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Gorges, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

Muscadets have been some of the best values in the wine world for some time and although the price has risen, they still hold that distinction.  This was the final year that Mark Olivier, whose reputation is at the top of Muscadets, was working at his winery.  It is 100% Melon de Bourgone grown organically.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has an interesting herbal (almost minty) note along with slight citrus and plenty of salinity and minerality.  A bit of crushed shells as well.  Slightly oily texture.  On the palate, almonds and citrus.  Nice finish.  Refreshing.  This

2020 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Grade: 
Current Price: 
$14.00USD

Muscadets are usually tremendous values.  Crisp, inexpensive and delicious white wines from the Loire Valley in France.  This one is all of those.  Pale silvery/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has crushed shells, lemons and sea air.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this has lots of minerality, crushed shells, salinity but also lemons to tie it all together.  Some depth and complexity.  These will age longer than one might think, maybe ten to fifteen years, but they are best when young and crisp.  The perfect foil for oysters.  

2018 Domaine de l'Ecu Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Granite, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$21.00USD

Muscadet remains one of the best values in wine today.  Silver/gold in color, clear and bright.  The now is all about minerality although there are lime nuances.  Medium bodied.  Nice backbone of acidity.  On the palate, lots of crushed rock and minerals along with some salinity and a bit of limes.  Long finish.  Lots of energy.  This is lively.  Dry.  It is great on its own and very food friendly.  While it will match with a wide vairety of food, oysters or any shell fish is a great idea.  Drink over the next ten years.  

2017 Domaine de la Bretonniere Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine, France, Loire Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$13.00USD

Muscadet's are some of the best values in the wine world.  This one sells for around $13.  Light golden in color.  The nose has a nice minerality along with crushed shells and some sea air.  A slight hint of lime peel.  Om the palate, there is a nice tart acidity.  Some green apple notes and a long finish. The classic pairing would be with oysters but this will work with a wide variety of lighter foods.   These are best drunk in their youth, i.e. Now!

2015 Domaine du Haut Bourg Muscadet-Côtes de Grandlieu, France, Loire valley, Muscadet, Wine review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
86
Grade: 
B

$12.  This is a nice value although the world of Muscadets in filled with nice to amazing values.  The best Muscadets will age, many will hold if not improve in the cellar and some need to be drunk younger.  This one seems to be in the later category.  At this point, it doesn't have that crisp freshness that makes Muscadets so welcome.  Medium gold in color.  The nose has apples and slight dust and even slighter lemon juice.  On the palate, this is fat.  Sour apple notes.  A bit clipped on the finish.  That said, it is reasonably food friendly.  A solid wine at a very fair price.  Perhaps a

2004 Luneau-Papin / Domaine Pierre de la Grange Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Le "L" d'Or, France, Loire Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2004
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

A great example of one of the top Muscadets.  This cost $15 on release and a recent vintage is not much more.  Its been aged for 14 years and it was wonderful.  Still fresh, crisp and enjoyable.  Golden in color.  The nose is great.  Complex with sea air, sea shells and slight honey notes.  On the palate, this is laser precision minerals.  Slightly oily texture.  Some salinity.  For those who prefer oysters, this is the perfect match but works with other food as well.  Long finish.  Just a gorgeous $15 bottle of wine.  

2016 Henri Poiron Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Domaine des Quatre Routes, France, Loire Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B+

I love Muscadet.  They are some of the best values in the wine world.  Rarely do the cost more than $15 and even the very best are under $30.  And they age much better than many people think.  Light green gold in color.  The nose has slate, green apples, sea air and slight crushed shells.  A bit of salinity as well.  On the palate, this is slightly oily.  Nice mineral streak, crushed shells and slight grapefruit. Slightly warm on the finish, but serving a bit cooler might help that.  It retails for $15 which is a very fair price and well worth it.  

2002 Luneau-Papin Domaine Pierre de la Grange Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Excelsior Clos des Noelles, France, Loire Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2002
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

This is a top of the line Muscadet.  It was $25 back on release and I doubt it costs much more than that today.  Muscadets are some of the best values in the wine world.  At age 16, this one was gorgeous.  Medium golden in color.  The nose has crushed shells and a salinity to it.  Very nice.  On the palate, this has a wonderful texture.  Its all about the minerals.  Complex and deep.  Great with lighter foods.  Good balance.  Nice finish.