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2020 in the Pays Nantais, as in much of France, saw the warmest winter in the 20th century with the vines many weeks ahead of schedule in the early spring. The potential for frost damage was enormous, but happily there was very little, unlike the catastrophe in 2021. The spring was rainy, which was good, as another hot summer ensued, with harvest starting in late August. The reserves of water in the soil, some needed rains in the summer and some cool nights created a vintage that gave balanced wines without excessive alcohol and with good acidities. As we have tasted in the delicious "La Pépie," and the very bright and mineral "Clos des Briords," 2020 is an excellent vintage at Domaine de la Pépière, and now arriving is the beautiful "Les Gras Moutons!"
The 2020 Muscadet "Les Gras Moutons" is a lovely wine and clearly illustrates the difference between the granite and gneiss terroirs in Muscadet. Gras Moutons is a great parcel on gneiss, in layers that permit a deep penetration by the vines, with sandy clay and amphibolite stones. The vines are at the top of a hill and on the south facing slope overlooking the Maine. (The name, by the way, does not refer to fat sheep, despite their presence on the label, but rather in local dialect, to the hilltop vineyard site.) This terroir produces lovely, classic Muscadet to drink over the next 5 to 8 years. It has a more herbal and floral bouquet than the granite-based wines and the palate, although refreshing and bright, is softer and more open. The 2020 Gras Moutons is a bit brighter than the 2019 and 2019, showing a pale bronze color and beautiful aromas of ripe pear and quince with hints of anise, stone and almond; The palate shows a nice level of glycerol and is quite mineral with ripe pear and white peach, supple and ripe but framed in firm acidity. The finish is long and dense with white fruits, citrus and an almost bitter mineral aspect, making this an outstanding food wine to enjoy for the rest of this decade. (This will be the only shipment of the 2020 Gras Moutons, about 20 cases are available.)
Speaking of 2020, we have only 15 cases left of the vibrant and refreshing 2020 Muscadet "La Pépie," produced mostly from the estates original vineyards on Granite de Château Thebaud and Granite de Clisson. This is from the last bottling, containing more old-vine juice, really showing the acidity and mineral flavors associated with the granite terroirs.
Fortunately for lovers of great Muscadet, we have stock remaining of the superb 2017 Pépière "Château Thébaud," and there is another shipment arriving in May. This beautiful wine needs to be decanted for current drinking - best to wait a few years and enjoy until 2045!
For the last twenty years or so we have been enjoying Jo Landron's rather intense, earthy Muscadet "Les Houx," formerly called "Hermine D'Or." It's not always available in the US so we're happy to feature it today. Jo of course is one of the great heroes of Muscadet, having converted to organic farming in 1999, and the "Les Houx" vineyard produces one of the most terroir expressive wines in the region. It's terrific now of course, peak drinking proabably 2023 - 2027. $18.99!
10% case/mixed case discount applies
(Please note: the importer keeps pushing the date back on the "Gras Mouton," now expected in the store by May 10th. Other wines are our warehouse, please allow 5 - 7 days for pick-up/delivery.)
Pépière 2017 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Cru Château Thébaud
The Domaine de la Pépière Cru Communal Château Thébaud comes from old vines in vineyards with great terroir on slopes overlooking the river Maine. The granite here (Granite de Château Thébaud, oddly enough) is fissured and permeable by the vine roots which have access to water during dry spells and absorb micro-nutrients along the way. 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014 here were among the best of the vintage in Muscadet and the 2017 will stand out as well due to the combination of density and minerality with the very firm acidity of this very good vintage year for Muscadet - those of you lucky enough to have the 2014 in your cellar understand just what a special wine this is. Notes from Remi Branger: "For the Château Thébaud 2017 - we harvested on the 2nd of September and did a longer elevage - 3 and 1/2 years sur lie, and we bottled it in the spring of 2021. We had thought to do a 4 year elevage but we realized that the exchange between the lies and the wine was occuring faster than usual. We have a beautiful Château Thébaud with aromas of white flowers and a touch of white peach; on the palate the density and power arrive in the finish which is less structured than the 2014 but is more structured and brighter than the 2015." The 2014 Château Thébaud is one of my favorite Muscadet, though it needs 5 more years to really open up, and the 2017 is not far behind - perhaps a bit more precocious, thus beautiful to drink now or to age for 20 years. David Lillie
Landron, Jo 2020 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Les Houx
The 2020 "les Houx" is a great Muscadet by Jo Landron coming from an organic/biodynamic vineyard on clay and sand over a sub-soil of gneiss, rich in iron and quartz and quite high in acidity. Kept on the lees for 12 months. In the glass, this white is a clear lemon in color. Aromatically defined by bright mineral stoniness, softened by smells of flowers and herbs. A richer, more concentrated core of yellow stone fruit develops as the wine gets some air. On the palate, mild flavors of cured lemon and apricot are accented by a hit of salinity, all culminating in a simple, precise finish of anise and flint. Lovely acid and a tender mouthfeel drives the structure. This will drink well young, with grilled or steamed fish and shellfish but also with crab, langoustines and lobster, especially after a few years of aging. For those who like some minerals in their Muscadet...