Pépière 2014 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clos des Briords
Last of Stock! (From three hectares of old vines on granite of Chateau Thébaud with well-drained soils of clay, sand and gravel. Hand harvested, transported in small baskets, cellar functions by gravity, no pumping, wild-yeast fermentation, seven months aging on the lees.) A classic Clos des Briords from this excellent vintage in the Loire - a season that started poorly but was saved by good weather from mid-August through September. The aromas show more white fruits than usual in this ripe vintage with herbal, mineral, stone and lemon-peel, quite lovely. The palate is dense and creamy with apple/pear fruit, wet stone, saline minerals and citrusy acids. A bit rounder perhaps, than the 2010 and 2012 and wonderful now with oysters, sole, flounder and richer fish dishes as well. From the Domaine: "The Spring was very classic, not too cold, not too warm, and wet as usual. The flowering went well which permitted a nice quantity and quality of grapes. The month of July was sunny but August began like a poor autumn, cold and humid. Late in August we really didn't know what would happen as the risk of rot was very high. Then, after a last big storm around August 24th, dry, warm and sunny weather began which lasted until October. The grapes matured and were of excellent quality with both high sugar and high acidity! We picked the Briords parcel on Monday Sept 15th and Tuesday the 16th in the early part of the harvest. The fermentations went well, lasting approximately a month and a half. I would say that it's a vintage representing what we like in Briords: citrusy vivacity, scintillating material and salinity in the finish."
