Muscadet "Bouquinardières" Gabbro (White) 2021

This is a 100% melon de bourgogne from gabbro soils in Muscadet. Fennel, anise and citrus. but also flinty, stony and salty with crisp acidity and an impressive amount of body and finish. The combination of older vines, time on the lees and some concrete ageing gives this single-vineyard Muscadet a slight hint of Burgundy. Its a polished, mature Muscadet that reflects both the terroir and the winemaking.

The Story: Jérôme Bretaudeau is known as a bit of a maverick in Muscade. He grows grapes found nowhere else in the region, vilifies in every type of vessel imaginable and is constantly experimenting in the vineyard and the cellar. His Melon de Bourgogne wines deliver a distinctive minerality on the palate thanks to his granite soils. He makes both single parcel expressions and blends, to show the expressiveness of the terroir and the grape. Clos des Bouquinardières is a single parcel of gabbro, sometimes called “black granite”, an igneous rock formed underground by ancient volcanoes. As gabbro degrades it releases minerals that result in more alkaline soils, which are thought to contribute to the minerality and nervosity of grapes grown on them.

Vinification: Melon de Bourgogne grapes from 30-year-old vines are de-stemmed and gently pressed, then aged for 10 months on the lees in a combination of stainless steel and concrete vats. Low sulphites.

Match it with: Oysters of course! Also a shellfish crudo or carpaccio, grilled fish with simple sauces or broths.