Pierre-Henri Gadais Melon Blanc Vendange Nocturne Vin de France 2022

You won’t often find racy, mouth-tingling, bone-dry, ORGANIC French white wine for under $20 anywhere, really. 94 points, too?! This is your chance to stock up for all the warm months that are JUST around the corner. Shipping’s free with 6 or more bottles!

Pierre-Henri Gadais’s winemaking story is rooted in the rich, ancient, mineral-kissed soils of Saint-Fiacre-sur-Maine in the Loire Valley, where his ancestors began shaping Muscadet history in the mid-20th century. The legacy began when his great-grandfather, Louis Gadais, broke from selling bulk grapes and became one of the first in the region to bottle his own wines, a vision his sons Marcel and Michel expanded. After years of honing his craft around the world – from Burgundy and Bordeaux to Australia and Switzerland – Pierre-Henri returned in 2016 to the family estate. Today, as a fifth-generation vigneron, he breathes contemporary vitality into a historic domaine while honoring the generational wisdom beneath every vine.

The grape of Melon Blanc (previously known as Melon de Bourgogne) has come back in a huge way in the last few years – thanks in good part to Pierre-Henri – and we’re wholly, passionately on board with this glorious revival. It’s the famous grape of Muscadet in the western Loire Valley, but originally from Burgundy. The French farmers there pushed it far west, to the edge of the Loire Valley, where it almost went extinct. It was the Dutch port-builders who developed a love for it and ended up preserving the grape’s future. Here in Nantes, near the mouth of the Loire River, Melon has found its best home... and the greatest part is, the most classic, expressive, stunning renditions of the grape can often be found for around $30 or less! And this top-of-the-line, surreal bottling is one of the best-crafted, most delicious ones you’ll find anywhere, at any price – and it’s just south of $20.

You’ll first experience lemon peel, grapefruit blossom, and honeydew melon aromas, all with that fantastic, slightly saline tinge that defines the Melon Blanc grape. The flavors span salted white plums, creamy pears, pomelo, lemon, and white grapefruit exploding like sublime citrus bombs. This is racy and hyper-fresh, humming with an electric edge of endless vigor. 94 points and under $20 make it a no-brainer! Go ahead and take a few for a spin, and report back with just how much you love it!

PAIRING IDEAS: Moules frites (steamed mussels and French fries) are going to slam alongside this zippy, bright and slightly salty white wine... especially if you steam your mussels in a bit of this wine with butter and shallots. DANG.