Shop

A great new release from Marc Ollivier, introduced to us last January as 2005 Clisson, 36 months on the lees, 2.5 grams residual sugar per liter, 12% alcohol. Wow! was our reaction, as the aromas were extremely complex with menthol, lemon oil, exotic fruits and spice competing with the usual stone and mineral presence of the granite-based wines. The wine was a vat of 100 hectolitres, 80% from designated "Granite de Clisson" vines and 20% from old vines in the Pepiere vineyard, but also on Clisson granite. At this point the wine doesn't seem richer than the 2005 Granite de Clisson bottling, but does seem to be more open and expressive and is extremely enjoyable now, although it should certainly develop nicely over the next 15 to 20 years.

Marc recently released the 2007 Granite de Clisson, and although the vintage was more difficult than 2005, giving yields of only 20 hl/ha and a moderate 12.2 degrees alcohol, the elegance, balance and depth of this wine are simply astounding. In a recent conversation, Marc expressed his preference for the 2007, citing the better “fraicheur” and higher acidity. The last six months of sur-lie aging were essential and “vachement interessant” he said, as the warmer temperatures in the cellar over the spring and summer helped liberate material and complexity from the lees.The wine is beginning to open up slightly showing intense aromatics of lemon oil, menthol and fennel with a dense and stony mid-palate. Marc is uncertain if it will age as well as his Clos des Briords, although a similar wine made by his neighbor Michel Bregeon is at its’ best between 20 and 25 years of age. Don't hesitate to enjoy this wine young however - two bottles recently consumed at my house were perfect accompaniments to full-flavored dishes with scallops and flounder. Following this wine’s development will be fascinating – this gives us old folks an inexpensive and delicious reason to stay around!

Marc Ollivier's new parcel in the excellent Gras Moutons vineyard gives him a new version of his Cuvée Eden. On gneiss subsoil, this is a different, somewhat lighter style than Marc's granite wines, Clos des Briords and Granite de Clisson, showing high acidity and wet stone with citrus peel, lime flower and white fruits. Superbly elegant, this wine will benefit from three to five years in the cellar and should show well for many years after that.

This is the second bottling of the Pepiere 2009 and although it shows lovely white fruit, herbal and citrus aromas, it has more mineralty and acidity than the first cuvee, and better length. A superb young Muscadet that will drink well for a few years. (This bottling has a synthetic cork, the next one will have a real cork)

Tasted from cuve last winter the 2009 Briords was a bit closed but had subtle white fruit and stone aromas. The palate was fuller than usual with silky pear fruit and hints of anise. Fabulous length. This will be an interesting vintage for the Clos des Briords - a rich wine showing more fruit than the previous three vintages, but with adequate acidity for aging. Marc Ollivier should raise the price - at $14.39 per bottle on a case it's absurdly cheap, given the great work of the vigneron and the fine terroir.

Very pretty bright raspberry fruit, lovely, yum! Those are my notes on this wine after 3 hours of drinking old Muscadet and eating woodcock pate at Pepiere. La Pepie is some sort of French slang for "big thirst" and this will quench it perfectly, although I still don't like the drunken chicken on the label....

Not a new arrival, but a perennial house favorite. This wine's beginning to pose a bit of a challenge to our number one seller, Pepiere Muscadet; it offers many of the same pleasures, including amazing price:quality rapport.
Ischia is an island off Naples, near Capri. It may be the nostalgic-romantic in me, but this wine tastes like the sun by the sea; it's crisp and clean, dry and fresh, a little saline, a little melon-like but with good acidity. We have it at home all the time and dream of Campania. JW