Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine is a French white that defies convention. It is named after the characteristic of the grape variety used to make this wine –  melon grape variety which has ‘wine with a musk-like taste’ , unlike other French Wines which all get their names after their growing regions.

I was sent a bottle of this fine French wine by Roberson Wines for review. Intrigued by the words Sur Lie on the label I did a bit of reading up and found that it is the French expression for “on the lees.” lees is the coarse sediment, which consists mainly of dead yeast cells and small grape particles that accumulate during fermentation. Wine makers believe that certain wines benefit from being aged sur lie.

These wines have a creamy, yeasty flavor and a touch of carbon dioxide which gives a slight prickling sensation on the tongue.

Both hubster and me liked the wine for its light and crisp taste and found it a great companion to our seafood starter for the evening – a light prawn pan fry with white onions.

I would highly recommend this white wine to those looking for a light fresh white with hints of citrus to pair with seafood, vegetable stir fries or when you simply want easy drinking – fuss free yet something that will sit well at a party table or for a quite dinner for two.

*With thanks to Roberson Wines . No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own. References Wiki and Kens Wine Guide.