Muscadet, oysters are a match made in heaven

By Michael Apstein, Globe Correspondent  |  February 12, 2004

With his full beard, ruddy cheeks, and stocky build, Marc Ollivier looks like a typical French winemaker. His wines are anything but typical. Ollivier purchased Domaine de la Pepiere, a small, 55-acre, vineyard in the heart of the Muscadet region in 1987 and revitalized it, using techniques from the past. Instead of using machines, he harvests only by hand, which means the grapes get to the winery in better condition. While many winemakers add commercial yeast to the grapes, he relies only on yeast naturally found on the grapes for fermentation, a practice that is risky but results in wines with more complexity.

Ollivier, like French winemakers in general, believe the particular place where the grapes grow determine the ultimate character of the wine. He has identified particular plots within his vineyard that produce distinct wine -- mostly, he believes, because of the underlying soil. He vinifies the grapes from these plots separately, labeling them Clos Briords, Cuvee Eden, and Clos Cornerais.

Located at the western end of the Loire River, abutting the Atlantic Ocean, Muscadet is a large region whose wines vary from superb, like Ollivier's, to poor. Muscadet are fresh, clean wines with bracing citric acidity, which make it a perfect accompaniment for oysters this Valentine's Day. The best wines always come from the subregion located between two tributaries of the Loire, the Maine and the Sevre, and say "sur lie" on the label. (Sur lie means the wine remains in contact with the dead yeast that fermented it until it is bottled. The yeast act as an antioxidant and keep the wine tasting fresh and lively.)

Muscadets in general from the 2002 vintage are excellent. Ollivier's 2002 regular bottling, a blend from the entire property, simply labeled Domaine de la Pepiere, Muscadet Sevre et Maine, is a steal at $9 a bottle. The Clos Briords, the only one of the three wines from specific plots that is available in Massachusetts, is a stunning example of Muscadet, at about $12.

MICHAEL APSTEIN