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Melon de Bourgogne
[meh-lohn duh boor-GAWN-yuh]

Although this French white-wine grape originated in BURGUNDY, it has now all but vanished from that region. Those that are still grown in Burgundy go into the BOURGOGNE GRAND ORDINAIRE wines. Melon de Bourgogne, however, is widely planted in the LOIRE, particularly in the Pays Nantais region where the grape and the wine is known as Muscadet. The grape’s popularity in this part of the Loire is related to its ability to withstand cold weather and to its tendency to ripen early and produce a large crop. Unfortunately, most wines produced from this grape are viewed as insipid in flavor. The best wines are those from the APPELLATION of MUSCADET DE SÈVRE-ET-MAINE and are labeled mise en bouteille sur lie, which means that they’re bottled directly off the LEES without filtering. This process can produce flavorful wines that are SOFT and CREAMY with hints of CITRUS. It was discovered that a variety growing on the grounds of the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS, which was thought to be PINOT BLANC, was actually Melon de Bourgogne. It’s now believed that many of the wines called Pinot Blanc in California are really Melon de Bourgogne. This grape is also known as Lyonnaise Blanche and Weisserburgunder.
Related Links: Burgundy, Loire, Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire AC
© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc.
1995 based on THE WINE LOVER'S COMPANION,
by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst.

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