Muscadet-sur-Chardonnay approved by INAO

Harvesting 100% Melon de Bourgogne

2018 – Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin

Following pressure from négociants it will now be possible to add up to 10% Chardonnay to the base, generic Muscadet appellation. The zonal Muscadet appellations – Sèvre-et-Maine, Coteaux de la Loire and Côtes de Grandlieu will continue to be pure Melon de Bourgogne. Also for basic Muscadet the requirement to have 6500 vines per hectare has been reduced to 5000.

Declassifying Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie to generic Muscadet will now be forbidden after 31st July after the harvest.

We will have to wait and see whether this rule change with the creation of AC Muscadet-sur-Chardonnay will confuse the consumer used to being told that Muscadet is 100% Melon de Bourgogne. DNA has shown that Melon is related to Chardonnay having similar parents. 

Anyone wanting to buy and drink traditional, real Muscadet should henceforth buy the zonal appellations. To be fair they probably already did as the zonal Muscadets are overall the better product, excepting quality domaines outside the three zones.    

From RayonBoissons :
'Le comité national de l’Inao a acté la refonte du cahier des charges des AOP du muscadet. L’une des principales évolutions concerne le système de repli du muscadet-sèvre-et-maine-sur-lie vers le muscadet génériques. Ils seront désormais impossibles au-delà du 31 juillet suivant la récolte. Les professionnels du vignoble veulent ainsi dissocier les deux dénominations.

Le profil des muscadets génériques va également pouvoir évoluer puisque le chardonnay entrent dans leur assemblage en tant que cépage accessoire à hauteur de 10 %. La densité du vignoble a par ailleurs été revue à la baisse de 6500 pieds/ha à 5000 pieds/ha.'

I posted about this controversial proposal to add another grape variety to basic Muscadet back in February 2016 here. I remain unconvinced that this is a sensible move.   

The rumour that the INAO is now considering allowing 10% Melon in Petit-Chablis and even 7.5% of Viognier in Le Montrachet to make it more sexy may be fake news .......