Granite de Clisson - A New Marc Ollivier Wine!!
10/15/2007 -
We are thrilled to be able to offer a new wine from the Muscadet master Marc Ollivier. It is called Granite de Clisson. There is a great concept behind this wine. It is from a group of growers called the 3eme Niveau, which is identifying vineyard sites in the region that they believe are worthy of Grand Cru status. These sites must be judged historically important and to be demonstrably superior to other sites. The Granite de Clisson is a small area of very ancient (Pre-Cambrian) rock that surfaces in the Massive Armoricain of the Nantes region .The wines from these special sites are aged on their lees for a minimum of 20 months. Marc's is aged for an extra four months so there is extra concentration and richness. Marc's parcel is adjacent to the Pépière vineyard, and is in shallow, well-drained soil over granit on a southwest slope. The vines are all massale selection and are 60 to 90 years old.
This is Marc's first time participating in something like this, which is unusual, because Monsieur Ollivier is not into self-promotion at all. There is no one stricter when it comes to quality control in Muscadet than Marc, so you know this is a special wine, which he will only make in excellent vintages such as 2005. Curiously, the wine does not qualify for the "Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie" appellation as it spends too much time on the lees - French regulations stipulate only 12 months, thus it is "Muscadet Sèvre et Maine"only.
The wine has just arrived in the US and is currently quite austere, with subtle hints of exotic fruits, fennel and flowers - the palate is mineral, almost salty, and quite intense. Drink now with a grilled sole or wait a few months for it to open up, after which it should develop nicely for another 15 to 20 years. We found it to be slightly lighter in body than the Clos Briords 2005, which comes from a heavier clay soil over the granite, but more focused and crystalline in character with the potential for long-term aging. All-in-all, this is a very special Muscadet, and a great white wine by any standards, which is still available for the bargain price of $19.99 before discount!
