* Robert Parker, Jr. 92
Robert Parker, Jr. - The Wine Advocate: Rated as An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. "Latest rendition of the Loire wine with the longest name as well as one of the region’s most distinguished track records (for more about which, see my report in issue 172), the 2007 Chateau de Chasseloir Comte Leloup de Chasseloir Muscadet de Sevre et Maine Sur Lie Cuvee des Ceps Centenaires once again represents a sensational value. Scents of sea breeze; honeydew and musk melon; and fresh lemon lead into an expansive yet persistently refreshing palate, featuring rich hints of nut oils beneath bright, juicy, brine-crusted waves of melon and citrus. The finishing amalgam of musk melon, lemon, salt, chalk, and chicken stock is invigorating and lip-smacking as well as strikingly tactile in its sense of minerality. Close your eyes and just try making yourself believe that salt water and chalk have not somehow been transported into this wine – not that I’m letting my skeptical guard slip without a fight! Expect this – based on an impeccable track record – to be worth following for at least the next ten years, not that you should wait one month let alone year longer than necessary to make its acquaintance. Somehow I missed out on tasting the 2008 rendition of this classic cuvee from ungrafted vines, a deficiency I might have to wait until 2012 and a full tour of the Loire to remedy.
From the Chereau-Carre family of Muscadets, I as usual tasted their recent releases that feature prominently in the U.S., market, two of these being among the most remarkable wines in the Loire." Aug 2010
Winery: "Complex aromas of minerals and wet earth. On the palate the wine is rich with more mineral/saline qualities and bright ripe fruit."
Really Fun Fact: The wine took the name of Comte Leloup de Chasseloir “Cuvée des Ceps Centenaires” referring back to the Leloup family who owned the Château before the French revolution.
Wired For Wine: If you're not tripping over yourself to grab this "sensational value" yet, we refer you back to shockingly one-sided torrent of unabashed praise above from Parker's publication... Who knows, maybe they felt bad about making you say or write down such a long name. This Comte Leloup du Chateau de Chasseloir Cuvee des Ceps Centenaires Muscadet is an utterly delectable French sipper which will evoke the ocean even if you have it in front of a fireplace. Pour your first bottle of delightfully dry and minerally French Muscadet and offer it with a tray of oysters on the half shell. If you've never sampled Katama Bay's tiny gems, we highly recommend them. Don't use a fork so that you get a little of their brine to go with the gorgeous brine nuances of this Comte Leloup. If it were us, we would just stop there. You might want a little something more, though, so allow yourselves to savor the bright ripe citrus and melon flavors, the sea salt and wonderful minerality with everything from mussels and clams to any number of shellfish and seafood choices, raw being our first choice. Who's up for sushi? We love the lemon in this Cuvee des Ceps Centenaires with tuna and avocado tartare on sesame wonton crisps. If cooked is better for you, then make it a shrimp tempura roll. A fresh salad with a tangy vinaigrette of your choice is another perfect option; maybe top it off with some lump crabmeat? Taire mon coeur! Catch your breath and open another bottle or two to enjoy with a French Fouchtra cheese. It has a voluptuous milky taste which is parfait avec this stupendous French white. Oh la la, winelovers!!
Size: 750ml, cork
Varietal: 100% Melon de Bourgogne, a dry white table wine
Alcohol: 12.0%
Ageing: 7 months in stainless steel vats. "The minerality of the soil allows the wine to age in the bottle and to continue to its full maturity after several years."
Region: Sevre Et Maine Muscadet, Muscadet, Pays Nantais, Loire Valley, France
Limited Production:. more
