At A Glance
- Field
- Detail
- Appellation
- Muscadet Sèvre et Maine
- Main grape
- Melon de Bourgogne
- Named wine
- La Grenouille
- Defining feature
- Salty sea character with fresh citrus
The Producer
Domaine de la Grenaudière works in Muscadet Sèvre et Maine with wines based on Melon de Bourgogne. La Grenouille is a still white cuvée, while Clisson is described as powerful and complex. The named range also includes Château Thébaud and L'Élégance, a sparkling wine. Fine lees ageing adds body and texture to the still wines while retaining citrus character.
Place
The maritime edge of Muscadet brings a salty tang alongside fresh citrus in the wines. La Grenouille carries the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation. Clisson narrows the label to a named cru wine from granitic terroir.
Soil And Site
Clisson comes from the famous granitic soils of Clisson. The wine is described as powerful and complex.
Vineyards And Cellar
The vines range from 25 to 60 years old. Muscadet is aged on fine lees in tank, with occasional stirring. Lees are the spent yeast cells left after fermentation, and contact with them adds body and texture while maintaining a citrus profile.
Clisson is vinified traditionally in stainless steel and aged on fine lees in an underground vat for 60 months. Stainless steel keeps the vessel neutral, while the extended lees contact changes the wine's weight and texture.
Wines
The range includes the still white wines La Grenouille, Clisson, and Château Thébaud, plus L'Élégance as a sparkling wine. La Grenouille is 100% Melon de Bourgogne. Clisson is also 100% Melon de Bourgogne, with the cru Clisson name and a granitic site. The bottles separate through appellation, named site, and format.
In The Glass
La Grenouille opens with green apple, lemon zest, white flowers, subtle almond, marine minerality, crushed seashells, and wet stone. The palate is taut and saline, with racy acidity, a finely etched mineral core, and delicate creaminess from lees. Citrus and orchard fruit carry into a saline, mouthwatering finish.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose La Grenouille. It is a still white Muscadet Sèvre et Maine cuvée made from Melon de Bourgogne, putting the appellation and grape on one label. Clisson then changes the frame to a named cru from granitic soils, while L'Élégance changes it to sparkling wine.
Final Word
Domaine de la Grenaudière brings together Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, cru Clisson, and sparkling L'Élégance, with Melon de Bourgogne and lees ageing recurring through the still wines.
Sources
- www.northberkeleyimports.com/wordpress/project/domaine-de-la-grenaudiere
- www.saq.com/en/14234342
- perrineswine.com/products/2023-domaine-de-la-grenaudiere-muscadet-sevre-et-maine-loire-valley-france
- www.brentwoodfinewines.com/products/2023-domaine-de-la-grenaudiere-la-grenouille-muscadet-sevre-et-maine-sur-lie
- www.lespiqueurs.com/en/produit/muscadet-de-sevre-et-maine-domaine-de-la-grenaudiere-cru-clisson