2021 Grolleau “Franc de Pied”Bernard Baudry
France | Loire
$36
Producers
by Anthony Lynch
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Sur Lie”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire | Muscadet
Long praised as the ultimate oyster wine—an entirely deserved reputation—Muscadet can be even more than your drink of choice to chase bivalves. Uncommonly full and rich but still sporting the crisp acidity and low alcohol that make it so sessionable, this 2018 is a Muscadet to enjoy with oysters as well as alongside seared scallops or roast chicken. 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.
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Melon de Bourgogne |
Appellation: | Muscadet |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | André-Michel Brégeon |
Winemaker: | Fred Lailler |
Vineyard: | 4-65 years |
Soil: | Gabbro |
Aging: | Aged on the lees in underground, glass-lined cuves until bottling |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12% |
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire | Muscadet Sèvre et Maine
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire | Muscadet Sèvre et Maine
Champalou France | Loire | Vouvray
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire | Bourgueil
Champalou France | Loire | Vouvray
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.
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.
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire | Bourgueil
Domaine de Reuilly France | Loire | Reuilly
Thierry Germain France | Loire | Saumur
Charles Joguet France | Loire | Chinon
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire | Vin de France
Thierry Germain France | Loire | Saumur
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire | Bourgueil
Thierry Germain France | Loire | Saumur
12-Bottle Sampler France | Loire
Thierry Germain France | Loire | Saumur
Éric Chevalier France | Loire | Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu
Thierry Germain France | Loire | Saumur
Let the brett nerds retire into protective bubbles, and whenever they thirst for wine it can be passed in to them through a sterile filter. Those of us on the outside can continue to enjoy complex, natural, living wines.
Inspiring Thirst, page 236
Drinking distilled spirits, beer, coolers, wine and other alcoholic beverages may increase cancer risk, and, during pregnancy, can cause birth defects. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/alcohol
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