2022 Pépière "Briords Vieilles Vignes" and More Mid-Summer Muscadet!

The Domaine de la Pépière "Briords Vielles Vignes" is one of the greatest values in white wine to be found anywhere in the world offering elegance, complexity, great terroir expression and sensational food pairing with just about anything from the sea, not to mention quiches, salads, mild cheeses and much more. But it's not a question of price - "Briords" is a unique and beautiful wine that is superb on release and that will age beautifully in most vintages for 20 years and more.

We have been enjoying "Briords" since our friend Marc Ollivier first produced it in 1988. Probably now out fishing in Brittany, in his fourth (?) year of much-deserved retirement, Marc started with a few parcels from his family and through his deep intelligence and hard work transformed them into one of the great domaines of the Loire Valley, now in the very capable hands of Rémi Branger and Gwénaëlle Croix.  The estate produces this great wine from very old vines on a superb terroir of Château Thébaud granite with a thin layer of very porous sandy clay soil. When young, the wine is atmospheric and mineral, like sea air on a rocky coast, and the 2022 combines this ethereal character with a softer, elegant palate, making it delicious to drink now, and over the next ten to fifteen years.

Also just released from Domaine de la Pépière is the lovely 2022 "La Pépie." The core of the "La Pépie" Sur Lie bottling is the 10-hectare heart of the Pépière estate, which is part of the Clisson cru in the tiny commune of Pépière near the winery; there is also a significant percentage of their cru Château Thébaud fruit, as well as some purchased fruit from a nearby organic farmer friend in the mix. This is a round and refreshing Muscadet, with a bit more weight and density, due to the warm, dry conditions in 2022, that will be perfect with oysters, grilled fish, roast chicken, Asian foods and mild goat cheeses.

And just a reminder that the superb 2020 "Clisson" and 2019 "Château Thébaud" remain available - these two Cru Communal wines will need to be opened well in advance for current drinking, but it's well worth the effort, as both will bring joy to the table with lobster, scallops or a full-flavored fish preparation this summer. Or put them in the cellar for five years and enjoy until 2040...

Also available is our current favorite from Jo Landron, the 2017 "Fiefs du Breil." This is, of course, one of the most important estates in the region and a leader in the movement towards better farming - organic since 1999 and Biodynamic since 2011. While this wine shows fabulous complexity of subtle stone fruit aromas and flavors, it's the intense expression of terroir that makes it unique, with stone and mineral notes and crystalline acidity. Decant the superb "Fief du Breil" if drinking now, or hold and enjoy until 2040 - this is one of the finest Muscadets of the past ten years!

-David Lillie