Reserve des Cleons Muscadet Wine Review | Perfect Partner for Summer Seafood
Muscadet might be tough to pronounce (try Moose-cah-Dey), but if you’re familiar with this popular Loire Valley white then you already know just how easy it is to drink, especially paired with seafood during summertime.
Many of the best Muscadet’s hail from the Sevre et Maine appellation and are aged sur lie, which means on the dead yeast cells. This process adds complexity and lends a certain creaminess to the resulting wine.
The Reserve des Cleons Muscadet 2013 happens to sport both of these virtues on its label and what you don’t see is another solid selling point: It’s only $7.99 in the Trader Joe’s Wine Section!
Alas many good quality Muscadet’s can surprisingly be found at single-digit prices, but is this characteristically briny and mineral rich, palate-cleansing summer refresher the wine for you?
Appearance: A very pale straw color.
Nose: Clean and bright with aromas of melon, lemon citrus and white flowers.
On the palate: The Reserve des Cleons Muscadet Sevre et Maine 2013 is light to medium-bodied and is immediately zesty and almost effervescent in the mouth. Here the melon fruit takes a step back and a creamy profile is brought to life by an electrifying citrus acidity coupled with a briny, ocean-like minerality. This Muscadet wine is as far away butterball Chardonnay as it gets!
Varietal Composition: Muscadet (also referred to as Melon de Bourgogne)
Vintage: 2013
Origin: Sevre et Maine, Loire Valley, France
Value Rating: 4.5 / 5
Where I got it: Trader Joe’s (Clarendon, VA)
Price: $7.99
Score: 89
Should you buy? Absolutely – you owe it to yourself to try the Reserve des Cleons Muscadet. A welcome departure from the usual white wine pours, it will perfectly complement your summer seafood dishes, especially those briny oysters. At under $8 in the Trader Joe’s Wine Section this offers an enormity of palate cleansing refreshment for the price. 
Value Proposition – Reserve des Celons Muscadet Sevre et Maine | Trader Joe’s Wine
The Reserve des Celons Muscadet is undoubtedly a serious departure from many of your usual white wine suspects, but it’s a welcome one at that. Think of Muscadet like a Portuguese Vinho Verde, only with a less outgoing personality.
While it is considerably less fruity and and isn’t nearly as effervescent you’ll be surprised how perfectly it pairs with ocean fare. Plus, seafood is expensive enough, the wine we enjoy with it certainly doesn’t have to be!
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I am originally from this part of the world so I may be a llttie biased but Muscadet wines are great value. When I visit my family, I never fail to bring back a couple of cases (of 12 bottles naturally) for under 50€ each. Muscadet wines are not just refreshing and crisp, they can be very complex, especially if they are sur lie and vieille vigne (old vine, of course). You will also find that they are slightly sparkly as fermentation continues in the bottle and a small amount of fizz wraps your tongue for extra sensations.
Faith,
I couldn’t agree more… They offer tremendous value and drinking pleasure for the money. Cheers!
This is one of the brightest white wine stars at TJ’s… I work there and this is the go to for fish, shellfish and, believe it or not, fondue!
The LaCheteau Vouvray is also great (they are both now owned by the LaCheteau wine company).
Thanks for the heads up, Peter! I really enjoyed this Muscadet. I can see why it is so popular!
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