Château Placeliere Muscadet-Sevre et Maine Sur Lie 2017 *ORGANIC*

Muscadet is a gentle soul; kind of like the Joni Mitchell of the wine world; and its playful floral, citrusy charm has been coaxed out expertly in the hands of the Famille Lieubeau, who have been making wine in their lovely corner of the Loire Valley for six generations.

Much the same as you wouldn't play techno at a folk festival in rural Oxfordshire, you wouldn't serve an oyster platter with Shiraz, you would serve it with this quince, pear and wet-stone Muscadet. Whilst playing Joni Mitchell.

Famille Lieubeau have been growers and winemakers for six generations. Their story began in 1816 with Joseph Gregory Lieubeau and it continues with Pierre, Chantal, and their sons Francois and Vincent in the village of Château-Thébaud.

Their Muscadet Sevre et Maine, Crus Château-Thébaud and Clisson and Loire wines are Terra Vitis Sustainable Growing certified and are sold in over 25 countries. Their high quality and consistency are rewarded every year in major international competitions and reviews.

Vincent Lieubeau was born in 1983. After growing up in the village of Chateau-Thebaud, he spent his holidays working in the vineyards and, after passing his baccalaureate, he decided to become an oenologist and a winemaker. After getting his degree in engineering in Paris and DNO in Montpellier, he spent time as a winemaker in US, South America and Champagne, Bordeaux, Spain and Portugal. He's now gone back to his roots at the winery in Chateau-Thebaud with his brother Francois, to take care of the family production.

Famille Lieubeau have Terra Vitis Sustainable Growing Certification, for both vineyard management and winemaking. Vineyards from Château de la Placeliere are on granite de Clisson and there is natural grass in the rows to limit yields.

They use a pneumatic press and a classic winemaking process, with bottling straight from the lees after six months ageing in tanks. No eggs or dairy are used during any of the processes.