Wines of FreshDirect: Fruity French Muscadet

If a grapefruit and a nectarine hooked-up for a night of hot passion, the resulting love child would be this fruity French muscadet. A little cold and distant at first, the wine warmed up well to our advances, bringing out a great low-acidity, citrus blend. Another nice wine to add to the collection.

Winery: Prieure Royal Saint-Laurent
Grape: Muscadet
Region: Côte de Grand Lieu, Loire Valley, France
Year: 2005

Source: FreshDirect.com
Price: $11

Color: Yellow with amber hues, like a glass of flat Bud Light

Nose: At first whiff, I picked out a strong pineapple, followed by a sweet grassy, clover scent. As the wine warmed and opened, complimented with a few gentle swirls, there came forward more strawberry, blueberry and watermelon notes. Mrs. Wines of FreshDirect offered a sensation of crisp sea air.

Taste: To start, the wine comes to the mouth with a mix of citrus flavors complimented with a nice minerality sensation. Through the tasting and through the mouth, these initial flavors are joined by a grassy essence with grapefruit and nectarine flavors. The finish is ushered in with a nicely balanced grapefruit, nectarine mélange, but is corked with a strange, unidentifiable “tang.” More medium than light bodied, I found the wine to be rather dense for a white varietal.

What I like: I’m not going to lie, after my first slurps, I was less than impressed. However, the wine warmed beautifully and by the end of the tasting both Mrs. Wines of FreshDirect and I were impressed with how balanced and flavorful a wine this was. It was a nice compliment to our once-a-week baked salmon dinner.

If one were looking for this wine in a New York restaurant, I see it is available by the ½ bottle at Tribeca throw-back joint, The Odeon.

What I don’t like: There is a hard to describe “tang” at the end of this wine, which mutes the nectarine citrus flavors that pick up and carry the wine from mid-palate to the finish line.