Loire Valley, France
This is a Muscadet lover’s dream: a perfectly focused lens with which to magnify the Clisson sector’s pungent granite terroir, all for under $15. Emphasizing organic, low-impact farming, hand harvesting, and the assertive minerality of Muscadet’s Clisson sector, the brothers Perraud have crafted a sensational Muscadet from the much-heralded 2020 vintage. Lemon-gold in the glass, Perraud’s Sélection des Cognettes opens with suggestions of acacia blossoms, Meyer lemon, and Bartlett pear fruit, infused with Clisson’s piquant mineral soil signature. Brisk and juicy on the palate, an electric undercurrent of granitic minerals drives suggestions of grapefruit, tangerine, and green pineapple. The wine finishes with further waves of assertive minerality, high-toned lemon fruit, and spine-tingling acidity. Juicy, tangy, and showing superb transparency, this is a wine to buy by the case and enjoy over the coming five years with fresh oysters, pan-roasted shellfish dishes, baked halibut, clams, mussels, and seafood bisques.
A June 2022 Newsletter Selection
Organically Farmed