For white wines, it doesn’t get much drier than Muscadet. Grown near the mouth of the Loire River, Muscadet is at once brisk and hearty — the essence of the windswept Atlantic coast. When it’s this hot out, we can’t think of much else in our glasses.
It’s also affordable and abundant. Wine writer Lettie Teague calls it “one of the world’s best, if most obscure, bargains,” saying “a glass of $8 Muscadet will always be a better wine than an $8 glass of something else.” We’ve just restocked one of our favorites: Cuvée Deux Roches from Martin-Luneau.
The Muscadet region’s new “cru communal” appellations require aging 24-30 months on lees, and Martin-Luneau’s excellent Gorges and Clisson cuvées both qualify. But today’s “Deux Roches” cuvée, the winemakers go even further, aging more than 30 months on the lees. “Deux Roches” refers to the distinct subsoils of the two Cru terroirs, Clisson and Gorges. The blend bears neither name, but the wine’s quality speaks for itself.
Their current release is the 2012 Deux Roches cuvée is bright and crisp, with lime rind and melon in the nose, and zippy, refreshing acidity in the mouth. There’s an intense dryness and liveliness that’s the perfect antidote to a muggy summer evening.
Pair this with anything from the sea, most perfectly, oysters. But all it really requires is a few hours in a good fridge and a couple glasses.
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Martin-Luneau Muscadet “2 Roches” 2012
bottle price : $19
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