What’s the latest darling of the “Nineties” to come storming back into the limelight?
Treading a similar recovery path to Vinho Verde and Beaujolais, allow me to introduce you to an excellent Muscadet.
Its home region has had its problems, but this is a lovely example of what they do well thereabouts.
I would go further and acknowledge that there are good Muscadets about (and I have tried many) but, at £8.50, this takes some beating.
However, hesitate not, there is only just over a week to get it that price.
Its red partner is also from Europe but further south – in Portugal.
That country’s Dao region is now a good place to find great value (especially red) wines that also tick the quality box.
Producers there are especially adept at blending indigenous grape varieties and at capturing the freshness from its higher altitude vineyards and – better still – the one I have selected has proved to be a consistently good performer.
Read on to see why both these wines deserve a place on your shopping list sometime very soon.
Adopting my traditional format, images and, where possible, hyperlinks accompany the assessments of the wines.
First the white then
2023 Taste the Difference Muscadet Sèvre et Maine (from £8.50 – instead of £10.50 until 29 October at Sainsbury’s and 12% abv):
Muscadet, from where the River Loire meets the sea, has struggled in recent years but this example from the acclaimed Pierre Lieubeau is stunningly good.
Fragrant with just a whisper of sweetness, it exhibits stylish but delicate melon, apple and pear flavours.
Grapefruit influenced sherbet acidity keeps everything fresh and lively while the wine’s long, beautifully clean mouth-feel adds a further layer to its attractiveness.
Now go south to Portugal
2021 Extra Special Dão (£7.50 at Asda and 13.5%):
I have praised this Portuguese red before, but it is wine that keeps on giving.
As it matures, maybe it becomes denser(no bad thing), but it still retains its soft cherry and plum flavours coupled with firm tannin and good acidity.
Those are nicely supplemented by suggestions of chocolate, cedar and baking spices.
The next post (on Thursday) contains my look at what is new for Winter in Aldi
17 responses
Definitely going to stock up on the Muscadet for my seafood dishes. It’s a wonderful and in some quarters under appreciated wine.
Good to hear from you Jeremy and welcome to the Comments Section. That plan is right on the money. This is a particularly good example (in my opinion) and made by a first rate producer.
Thanks again Brian for today’s recommendations. This Muscadet looks a very attractive proposition with the current Nectar price. I’ve become rather disappointed with Sainsburys wine selection of late with their increasing emphasis on branded wines. But I’ve had another look through all the wines on their website just now and, to be fair, there are a couple of ‘Discovery Collection’ bottles I wouldn’t mind trying as part of a 25% off 6 with the Muscadet. These are Sainsbury’s Gaillac Loin De L’oeil, Taste the Difference. Discovery Collection (I love exploring the ‘rediscovered’ varieties from SW France) and Sainsbury’s Muller Thurgau, Taste the Difference, Discovery Collection from Italy’s Trentino region. Has anyone tasted (or even found) these last two yet? I’d be interested in any feedback.
Hi Keith
I have tried the Muller Thurgau and the Loin De L’Oeil, both excellent in my opinion, I especially enjoyed the Muller Thurgau, very different (floral & aromatic) Loin De L, (nice bit of lees ageing) They would be the first bottles in my basket.
That seems pretty conclusive Dave. I have enjoyed Gaillac from Sainsbury’s before (but not that specific one) and so the sourcing they do thereabouts appears to be sound.
It was the Gaillac Rouge at Sainsburys (sadly no longer available) that I used to like. And I’ve only recently realised why. It was a blend of the local grape Braucol along with Syrah, Merlot and Cab Sauv. Also known as Fer Servadou Braucol is the jammy perfumed grape Eddie mentioned a few weeks ago in relation to blue cheese and then went on to reference The Wine Society Braucol Les Plaines Sauvages IGP Comté Tolosan 2023. I bought a bottle straight away and found that fascinating too. And I’ve also now tasted the Co-op Hidden Wines Braucol 2023 Paul mentioned around the same time by Paul (85% Braucol, 15% Gamay) with its smooth dark fruit flavours and gentle sweetness. I’m really into these ‘rediscovered’ grape varieties from SW France!
Prescient stuff Brian as both Sainsbury’s and Asda both have 25% off buy 6 bottles happening right now, so each of today’s selections can be even cheaper than quoted. Taking advantage of those rock bottom prices always depends on the intention to be in the stocking-up mode at either store anyway, and then to chuck yet more bottles in our trollies. But a trip to Asda tomorrow for me, was pencilled in anyway!
I know this particular Sainsbury’s Muscadet and always enjoyed it, even as its price has crept up over the years. It’s reliable and if we already enjoy that somewhat unique Melon de Bourgogne, its freshness and perfect application to seafood, we are home and dry!
I know some people who don’t get on with “seafood” at all, as opposed to plain old fish (and chips), but crab, prawns, scallops mussels calamari, cockles even, the whole Fruits de Mer 9 yards, and not forgetting a few sweet Normandy oysters thrown in, I could easily live without red meat if I had to in favour of this terrific stuff.
Call me old fashioned but along with Orvieto and Frascati from Italy, Muscadet still figures in my favourite wine shopping now and back then in France, for 50 years. A cheaper bottle back then for 10FF might not have delivered the absolute very best available but it worked perfectly with moule et frites for us impecunious, Boomer Francophiles! I have £20 waiting already on my Nectar card so here is something I will use it for even if I don’t have the 6 bottle deal when I shop next week in Sainsbury’s.
But Asda it will be tomorrow with some voucher money on my loyalty card for the already well recommended Wine Atlas whites, Carricante and Roditis-SB, as well as checking out with two new red additions to that range, a Côtes de Roussillon and an Argentinian Bonarda that I have great hopes for, and now hopefully a bottle of this Extra Special Dao you review. Testament to its already popularity it says online “out of stock” at my usual store but let’s hope not. I’ve enjoyed it before and it sounds as if it maintains its provenance. It could be £5.62 so what’s not to appreciate at that money. A true gateway, mid-weeker for sure.
Thanks for the pointer to the Muscadet Brian.
I just poped into Sainsburys to pick some up and was pleasantly surprised to see 25% off 6 bottles as well so at £6.37 that must be good.
Also picked up some of Concha Y Toro’s Diaballo, Dark Red from Chile. A nice smooth blend if you like a heavy red. Down from £10.50 to £9.00 before the 25% discount.
Glad that all worked out and, as you say, that Diablo is indeed a rich red. Enjoy them both.
Hello Eddie,
A Guardian wine writer used the word “sapid” when recommending our favourite Asda Wine Atlas Carricante.I must admit I had no clue what it meant.However it means “strong,pleasant taste” or ” flavoursome”.So I will be using it on future!
The Asda 25% off in Wales only applies to six bottles £7 and over.Fortunately Brian’s Dāo is £7!
For my next community wine club presentation the theme will be “Best of Asda”.I did pick up some Piccini Bianco Toscana and a very Intriguing Extra Special Australian Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon which at 25% off could be a bargain.
Any suggestions from anyone as to two whites from Asda normally over £7?
Jumping in here (although Eddie, will have good suggestions), 2022 Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon is a good option for medium bodied, fruit-led red with mild liquorice traces to add counterbalancing savouriness. As for whites, Extra Special Gavi di Gavi is a great example of the genre while Butter Side Up Chardonnay is a traditional Californian chardonnay exactly as the name implies. At less money, 2023 Kakapo White Wine (£6.50 at Asda): is a NZ riesling (85%) but with three other varieties including semillon making up the residue.
Hi Paul,
I particularly enjoyed their:
2022 Extra Special Chenin Blanc, from SA. 14%, 1.4g/l Residual Sugar @ £7. A nice food wine, nutty finish with just a touch of honey.
2023 Tukituki Marlborough SB. 12% 3.1g/l @ £8. Fresh, I thought a bit between Loire & NZ in style – which I like!
2023 Extra Special Languedoc 13% 0.9 g/l RS @ £8. A good white Rhone grape mix, 3 months on lees, and a very slight touch of oak. A friendly, but serious food wine.
And they have a 2023 100% Marsanne from the ever reliable Paul Mas 13.5%, 2.5g/l RS @ £8.50.
I would also thoroughly endorse Brian’s 2023 Kakapo suggestion, a wine that might convert “Riesling Sceptics”?
Hope all these MWW suggestions won’t cause you to over buy!
Paul … I seem to remember telling myself to get another Extra Special Touraine Sauvignon Blanc at Asda the next time I was in there for a deal purchase. It’s £7.75. So £5.80 with 25% off, so it’s a hell of a good deal on that money. Problematically vintages change situations so I can give no indication as to a preferred year when there’s nothing online to help us. But it was just another evocation of places we went to regularly Amboise, Saumur, Tours … etc. maybe a tad further east and closer to Sancerre that naturally draws comparison. Different in character to my other best love SB from Marlborough-NZ. But straight ahead SBs seem to be old-hat these days and so much else is out there to try … hence the Roditis plus some SB .. and the Carricante of course. We discover new-to-us stuff and want to try it.
Apart from the obvious others I speak about at Asda …. like the Bodacious and Via Vincini, that are both reds, I’m a big fan of their Montagne Saint-Emilion at £9.25 to £8.25 today so £6.20 on deal. I’ve always felt that for a Bordeaux well under a tenner this has delivered well enough in the search for acceptable claret punching a bit above its weight.
Enjoy your community club tasting …
PS … just spotted Brian suggesting that Californian Chardonnay Butter Side Up that would be a first for me … white … USA!!! OK £7.50 for a small adventure won’t break the bank and I do have a free £7 voucher punt so even I will chance that one.
I did stress the “traditional” so be prepared for quite a bit of oak. Richness for sure but I felt enough apple pie, melon and apricot flavours to balance it for anyone open minded enough to try it. I included it as a contrast for Paul’s tasting – but unoaked chardonnay fans may well start an uprising.
Many thanks for all your suggestions.Absolutely agree the Kakapo is something special, but I used it in a previous club tasting.
I am sticking with Brian’s Dao and Margaret River Cab Sav and my Toscana Bianco and the final three wines will be:
Richard’s Tuki Tuki. I am not a great fan of NZ Sauvignon Blanc, but many club members are, and the wines 8% “ other unspecified grape varieties” has piqued my interest.
I am also on a long term campaign to get them to appreciate Riesling.Fair to say opinion is divided 3 to 19, but they are going to get Asda Extra Special Riesling.Who said I was just a crowd pleaser?
Finally, to show that I am an all year round hip kind of guy, it is going to be Famille Perrin Arc du Soleil Rosé.Why? Because I like it.Democracy in action.
So six different wines, two bottles of each- 12 in total for the tasting.With offer, total is £77.23 or an average of £6.44 a bottle for quality wines!
After much digging, the 8% “other unspecified grape varieties” in TukiTuki turn out to be Chardonnay,Grüner Veltliner,Pinot Noir,Riesling and Pinot Gris.Now that makes this Sauvignon Blanc much more appealing.