Louis Métaireau Carte Noire Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine Tirage sur Lie 2023 is the gastronomic cuvée from Domaine du Grand Mouton, sourced from old vines on the Sous Bacs plot. The wine hails from the heart of Muscadet Sèvre et Maine and derives its character from maturation on the fine lees, a traditional method that provides extra texture, freshness, and mineral tension. This is a dry, pure Loire wine with floral notes, salinity, and a remarkably refined length.
This Muscadet comes from Saint Fiacre sur Maine, in the heart of the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation.
Location / Origin: Domaine du Grand Mouton is situated between the Sèvre and Maine rivers, a classic origin for Muscadet characterized by many crisp, mineral white wines.
Plot: Carte Noire comes from the Sous Bacs plot, making this cuvée more clearly defined than a general blend from the appellation.
Soil: The soil is dominated by gneiss with two micas. This rocky substrate ensures good drainage and contributes to the wine's mineral, fresh signature.
Vineyard & Harvest: The vines were planted in 1937 and 1945 and are harvested by hand. These old vines produce lower yields and greater concentration in the juice.
Vineyard management: The estate employs sustainable farming practices, limiting chemical treatments as much as possible and closely monitoring the vineyards.
Vinification revolves around traditional sur lie maturation and a pure expression of the terroir.
Maturation / Sur lie: What is sur lie? Sur lie means the wine rests on the fine yeast cells after fermentation. For this Muscadet, this occurs throughout the winter in concrete and glass tanks, which imparts extra texture, tension, and a subtle creaminess.
Bottling: In the spring, the wine is racked from the lees via gravity and bottled. This gentle process helps to preserve the wine's clarity, freshness, and refined structure.
This Muscadet is made entirely from the classic grape of the Nantais region.
100% Melon de Bourgogne – Muscadet Sèvre et Maine: Melon de Bourgogne gives this wine its crisp acidity, light body, citrus-like tension, and saline minerality. Combined with sur lie maturation, the grape gains more texture and length.
