2020 Domaine de Belle-Vue Muscadet Gabbro Clos des Bouquinardières
WINEMAKER: Jérôme Bretaudeau
REGION: Loire Valley, FR
VARIETAL: Melon de Bourgogne
VITICULTURE: Certified Organic/Biodynamic
"This Muscadet "GABBRO" is from gabbro (another type of igneous rock) soils and old vines planted around the village of Gorges - to me the Puligny of Muscadet; extra time on lees and in bottle has produced a very fine, very mineral wine; tight as a drum yet very silken and sensual, it tastes of flint and stone and is very inspired drinking. This is one of the very great Muscadet's available today displaying Grand Cru like intensity, balance and complexity. Just superb - this was one of the top wines of my whole trip to France in May!" - Andrew Guard
Jérôme Bretaudeau is one of a small handful of serious, young winemakers devoted to the compelling terroir of Muscadet, the most western appellation in the Loire Valley. Situated along the Atlantic Coast where the Loire empties into the ocean, Muscadet enjoys a cold, maritime climate that combines with granitic soils composed of igneous rocks, silica pebbles, white and pink quartz, to create low alcohol, high acid wines with pronounced minerality and complexity.
In stark contrast to most of Muscadet, which is dominated by overcropped, industrial-production cooperatives, Domaine de Belle Vue comprises 12 hectares of organically-certified vineyards in active transition to full biodynamic viticulture. Jérôme is, moreover, innovative and experimental, crafting wines not only from the appellation’s signature Melon de Bourgogne but also from eccentric cuvées of Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc.