When we got one of our I Brand shipments, we noted something different, a Melon de Bourgogne! What the heck is that and why is Ian making it?
About Melon de Bourgogne from wine.com: “Made famous in Muscadet, a gently rolling, Atlantic-dominated countryside on the eastern edge of the Loire, Melon de Bourgogne is actually the most planted grape variety in the Loire Valley. But the best comes from Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, a subzone of Pays Nantais. Somm Secret—The wine called Muscadet may sound suggestive of “muscat,” but Melon de Bourgogne is not related. Its name also suggests origins in Burgundy, which it has, but was continuously outlawed there, like Gamay, during the 16th and 17th centuries.”
For more information on the growing popularity on the West Coast of Melon de Bourgogne, I found this excellent article: https://daily.sevenfifty.com/why-american-winemakers-are-embracing-melon-de-bourgogne/. This article highlights that the original grapes planted in Oregon were mislabeled as Pinot Blanc and this mislabeling spread as the grapes did down into California, including in the Chalone AVA!
About the Chalone AVA from https://montereywines.org/vineyards/avas/: “The Chalone region is nestled at 1,800 feet in elevation in the central part of the Gavilan Mountain Range – set against the dramatic backdrop of Pinnacles National Monument. This region has a long history of grape growing, dating back to 1919. Here are found the oldest producing vines in Monterey County. Chalone was awarded its own AVA designation in 1982. Because of its elevation in the mountain range, Chalone is truly unique among Monterey County’s appellations.”
Graff Family Vineyard is “a small family vineyard on the Chalone Bench of the Gavilan Mountains. Our family has a 50 year history of winemaking in the Chalone Appellation.” If you look at the map, it appears to be smack in the middle of the Chalone Vineyard!
2019 I Brand & Family Melon de Bourgogne, Graff Family Vineyard, Chalone AVA, 11.2% ABV (#350*)
Winemaker’s Notes: “… because Chalone is nothing like Muscadet, we weren’t at all trying to reference Melon’s home turf. We made this wine with 5 days on skins, then barrel fermented and aged on lees for seven months. Due to the terroir and the skin, it’s decidedly broader than typical Muscadets, but has a subtle brawniness that I enjoy…” (found on winebeserkers.com)
My Review: Straw color in the glass. Fresh gardenia and lemongrass on the nose. Slightly sweet with honeycrisp apple and … on the palate. A little bitter on the finish. Has a very familiar taste – yet hard to pinpoint – very Chardonnay-like, which makes sense, yet a bit like a Sauvignon Blanc, too! I enjoyed this wine! April 2021
I Brand’s tasting room in Carmel Valley Village is open for tastings – reservations recommended. https://www.ibrandwinery.com/visit. And BIG NEWS: You can now purchase I Brand wines directly from their website at https://www.ibrandwinery.com/!
*Refers to wines tasted while Sheltering in Place on Sharon’s personal Facebook group “Sharon’s Central Coast (Monterey) Wine Blog” – including non-Central Coast wines.
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