Domaine du Grand Mouton - Louis Métaireau Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Carte Noire

Domaine du Grand Mouton's Louis Métaireau Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Carte Noire comes from a single 23-acre vineyard positioned between the Sèvre and Maine rivers in the heart of Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine. The site includes parcels ranging from 30 years old to a block planted in 1937, and the wine undergoes extended aging on its lees through the winter, the signature method Louis Métaireau championed in his work to elevate Muscadet's reputation in the mid-20th century. Made from 100% Melon de Bourgogne, this is a benchmark for what serious, site-driven Muscadet can deliver when farmed and vinified with intention. Marie-Luce Métaireau and Jean-François Guilbaud farm the Grand Mouton vineyard today, carrying forward the standards Louis Métaireau established. The property sits on the schist and gneiss soils characteristic of the best sites in the appellation, and the family works the land under organic and sustainable principles. After harvest, the wine rests on its lees through the winter months, a practice that builds texture and weight while preserving the appellation's defining freshness and high acidity. The extended lees contact is central to the wine's structure, giving it a depth and staying power well beyond what the region is sometimes known for. The wine opens with beeswax, blossom, and honeyed pear on the nose, then develops pronounced salinity and a seashell character with air, signaling its proximity to the Atlantic. On the palate, that brininess and maritime edge intensify, joined by lemony acidity and a chalky minerality that runs through a long, clean finish. The texture is real and mouth-filling without losing the taut, refreshing quality Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine is built on. This is a wine for the table, particularly with oysters, clams, mussels, and other shellfish, but it pairs just as well with fish terrines, white meats, and charcuterie. In stock at Off Premise in Lincoln Park.