Notify me
2015 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel BrégeonThis bottling represents the realization of Michel Brégeon’s lifelong dream to elevate the wine of Muscadet to a loftier status than a simple oyster sipper. He was blessed with the appellation’s greatest terroir, the metamorphic ocean bedrock known locally as gabbro, and has consistently observed over time a remarkable aging potential in his wines that rivals any other white from France. Now, finally, as the appellations are being created to valorize the region’s best terroirs (in this case, Gorges), Michel is able to sell a tiny proportion of his production in the best years at its true worth. This wine can be decanted and enjoyed now or aged for ten years or more for a truly exceptional Melon de Bourgogne experience.
—Dixon Brooke
Anthony's Pick
If you haven't yet tried cru Muscadet, you're missing out! Gorges is known to be the most mineral, and with bottle age, this has become an exceptionally complex and briny tonic.
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2015 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Melon de Bourgogne |
Appellation: | Muscadet |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | André-Michel Brégeon |
Winemaker: | Fred Lailler |
Vineyard: | 50 years average, 7.8 ha total |
Soil: | Gabbro |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12% |
More from this Producer or Region
2021 Chinon “Les Grézeaux”
France | Loire
A textbook Chinon like this merits simple, rustic cuisine such as roast game, baked potatoes, and sautéed porcini mushrooms.
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
France | Loire
Gorges boasts an incredible texture and tension imparted by decomposed, blue-green igneous rock, seventy-year-old vines, and years-long aging on the lees.
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
France | Loire
Delicate, precise, and succulent at the same time, this beautiful blanc will pair well with fresh seafood and light summer salads and pastas.
2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
France | Loire
It fills the mouth with suspicions of honeysuckle and pulpy stone fruits, all while maintaining classic notes of iodine and sea breeze that make this the vinous equivalent of tidepooling.
2021 Vin de France Blanche
France | Loire
This skin-contact wine is redolent of blood orange and hyssop—a perfect apéritif for olives and anchovies.
2020 Vin de France Blanche
France | Loire
This lithe and expressive “orange” wine is an ideal palate-opener with a dry, cleansing finish and a fresh, cooling effect like coastal sage and seaspray.
2022 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
France | Loire
Brisk red-fruited twang, some herbaceous zest, and an absolutely mouthwatering zingy finish.
2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
France | Loire
Fine, with bright acid, sleek silkiness, and great length, it is the most elegant of all of Thierry’s red wines.
2020 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson “La Molette”
France | Loire
A subtly floral nose and textured mouthfeel seal the deal. This is off-the-charts Muscadet.
2022 Chinon “Les Granges”
France | Loire
Put a slight chill on it, pop the cork, and inhale its lively perfume: the floral fragrance and bright, juicy fruit—picture fresh-squeezed berries—are simply irresistible.
About The Producer
André-Michel Brégeon
Michel Brégeon is part renegade, part crusader, and full-blown terroirist, ardently defending the Muscadet-Sèvre-et-Maine terroir. Thanks to his deep understanding of the land, he plays the game much differently than the region’s caves cooperatives and negociants, who produce en masse and lose the subtlety of the appellation. He worked for his family’s domaine before setting out on his own in 1975. When his father retired in 1989, he gave his remaining vineyard land to Michel. Today, Michel farms seven hectares of vineyards in clay, silica, and gabbro soils. Gabbro is old, blue-green, volcanic rock, rarely found in vineyard land. Formed by magma eruptions under the ocean floor, it imparts intense complexity to Michel’s wines.
About The Region
Loire
The defining feature of the Loire Valley, not surprisingly, is the Loire River. As the longest river in France, spanning more than 600 miles, this river connects seemingly disparate wine regions. Why else would Sancerre, with its Kimmeridgian limestone terroir be connected to Muscadet, an appellation that is 250 miles away?
Secondary in relevance to the historical, climatic, environmental, and cultural importance of the river are the wines and châteaux of the Jardin de la France. The kings and nobility of France built many hundreds of châteaux in the Loire but wine preceded the arrival of the noblesse and has since out-lived them as well.
Diversity abounds in the Loire. The aforementioned Kimmderidgian limestone of Sancerre is also found in Chablis. Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur boast the presence of tuffeau, a type of limestone unique to the Loire that has a yellowish tinge and a chalky texture. Savennières has schist, while Muscadet has volcanic, granite, and serpentinite based soils. In addition to geologic diversity, many, grape varieties are grown there too: Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Melon de Bourgogne are most prevalent, but (to name a few) Pinot Gris, Grolleau, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis, and Folle Blanche are also planted. These myriad of viticultural influences leads to the high quality production of every type of wine: red, white, rosé, sparkling, and dessert.
Like the Rhône and Provence, some of Kermit’s first imports came from the Loire, most notably the wines of Charles Joguet and Château d’Epiré—two producers who are featured in Kermit’s book Adventures on the Wine Route and with whom we still work today.
More from Loire or France
2022 Saumur Champigny “La Foulée”
Domaine des Roches Neuves France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Les Granges”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
Vouvray Brut
Champalou France | Loire
2022 Sancerre
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2022 Grolleau “Franc de Pied”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2021 Bourgeuil “Cuvée Beauvais”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2020 Vin de France Blanche
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2016 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2019 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Saumur Champigny “La Foulée”
Domaine des Roches Neuves France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Les Granges”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
Vouvray Brut
Champalou France | Loire
2022 Sancerre
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2022 Grolleau “Franc de Pied”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2021 Bourgeuil “Cuvée Beauvais”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2020 Vin de France Blanche
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2016 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2019 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Great winemakers, great terroirs, there is never any hurry. And I no longer buy into this idea of “peak” maturity. Great winemakers, great terroirs, their wines offer different pleasures at different ages.
Inspiring Thirst, page 312