WINE OF THE WEEK - 2017 Domaine des Tilleuls Les Venerables Vielles Vignes Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie

Apr 16

2017 Domaine des Tilleuls Blog Graphic.png

This week, I found a seriously cool wine. Seriously guys, it’s seriously cool!

As most of you know, I’ve been studying wine for almost a year through formal education. I’ve come to really appreciate the wines of the Loire Valley as a result and I want to learn more. Hence, if I find a “rare” wine in my local market from the Loire, I’m sure to grab it and share my knowledge with you!

If you’re a regular reader of the blog, you’ll know that every week on Wednesday, I look forward to foraging through the shelves of my local liquor store, on a treasure hunt to hopefully uncover a cool and formerly unfamiliar wine to share with you!

The special thing here is that if and when I find something good, it’s a wine that you too can actually purchase because it is readily available at the time of writing this blog post entry! I love this because all too often, you read a review about a great wine and then can’t actually find it, which can be so annoying. If you want to know more about why and how I do this, be sure to read this blog post where I outline my approach to my weekly Wine Wednesday picks.

Now I’d be remiss not to point out that because I’m located in Ontario, Canada and I buy my wines for the Wine of the Week feature from the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario).

However, the wines I pick are generally widely available in most major markets and online too. So if you like what you read, you should be able to find the wine wherever you like to shop.

For the convenience of readers who are located in Ontario, I always provide the LCBO Product Number, and a direct link to the LCBO website, in my reviews.

And with that, let’s get into this week’s pick!

2017 Domaine des Tilleuls Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie

This week’s wine comes from the Loire Valley located in northwest France. The Loire Valley is in fact actually several regions brought together by their position along the Loire river, which is the longest river in all of France. This wine is from the part of the valley that is closest to the cold Atlantic Ocean, which shows in the beautiful crisp and saline nature of this gorgeous wine. Read on to learn what you need to know about this wine.

What does this wine cost?

$18.95/bottle.

Where does this wine come from?

As mentioned above, this wine comes from the Loire Valley, which is a vast and varied valley that is almost 500 kms in length and produces France’s third biggest volume of wine.

More specifically, it is from the Pays Nantais, which a district that is located on low-lying terrain (i.e. little to no discernible altitude) close to the Atlantic ocean. Due to its proximity to the ocean, the climate here is cool and chilly which results in beautiful crisp white wines with oceanic influence.

The major appellation here is the Muscadet AOC, which has three sub-appellations including Muscadet Sevre et Maine, which is where this wine is from.

Why is this wine unique?

This wine is made with 100% Melon de Bourgogne, which is a rather unknown grape in much of the world but is in fact the most planted grape variety in the Loire Valley. Melon de Bourgogne is a neutral grape and in the wrong hands, it doesn’t taste all that impressive. But when done well, the outcome is magical.

This is certainly a cool grape variety to have on your list if you’re looking to get off the beaten wine track!

With respect to this wine specifically, the grapes used are picked from the Domaine’s best parcels, and the vines are old which makes for a better quality wine overall.

Who makes this wine?

Domaine des Tilleuls, which takes its name from a small village, is a family owned estate that was established in 1905 and today covers 35 hectares of vineyards. The Domaine has grown and modernized over the years and currently is run by the family, who focus on modernization, sustainable viticulture and fine wine making techniques.

Click here to learn more about Domaine des Tilleuls.

A few Wine Geek “essential facts” about the wine (feel free to skip this if you don’t care about detailed wine-making information!):

Variety - 100% Melon

Vine age - 40-60 years

Soil type - mica-schist

In the field - grapes are hand harvested

Vinification technique - aged on the lees

ABV - 12%

Residual Sugar - 2 g/L

My tasting notes:

This wine is very pale and almost colourless in the glass, which is fascinating in a time where all white wines seem to be a deep gold colour. On the nose, it smells of white flowers, lemon-lime and walnuts. On the palate, it is absolutely delicious, with layers of pear, citrus, walnuts and a hint of white peach, what really makes this wine stand out is the noticeable salinity. Combined with the richer texture from aging on lees, enjoyable acidity and moderate alcohol level, you will find this wine impossible to put down!

Aging potential:

This wine can be aged for a few years but I wouldn’t bother. This is perfect to drink through the summer months.

Recommendations to Wineitupanotch:

Pair this wine with steamed, poached or grilled white seafood or chinese stir fry noodles.

Wineitupanotch Wine Score: 90 points

This is such a lovely, delicious white wine that is very pairable with a range of dishes. It was a pleasant surprise that I would most definitely not hesitate to recommend to others! I will personally buying more for the summer months!

If you’re located in Ontario, and wish to purchase this wine, you can find it at the LCBO under Product #18546.

FINAL VERDICT:

Buy this - you won’t regret doing so!! :)

If you’ve tried this wine already, or decide to pick it up and try it after reading this post, I’d love to hear from you and hear what you think of it! Please do drop me a line.

Until next time, wishing you love, light and of course - good wine! :)

Cheers!