Gabbro Clos des Bouquinardières 2023, Muscadet Jérôme Bretaudeau | Loire

Jérôme Bretaudeau 's Muscadet Gabbro Clos des Bouquinardières was born in the commune of Gorges, in the historic heart of Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, on a site cited as early as the ^17th century as one of the cradles of Melon de Bourgogne in the Nantes vineyards. Clos des Bouquinardières extends over just over 6 hectares with east and southeast exposure, on a particularly pronounced gabbro soil derived from deep magmatic rocks and covered withclays rich in iron oxides. The vines, some of which were planted over 60 years ago, are planted alongside high-density replanting using massal selection, and are deeply rooted in this emblematic Muscadet Sèvre et Maine terroir. As always, Domaine Bellevue practises demanding organic and biodynamic viticulture , with careful soil management and vineyard management designed to promote ripe, balanced grapes. Hand harvesting precedes direct pressing, before fermentation on indigenous yeasts at low temperature. Ageing then takes place over 24 months in underground concrete vats, without filtration and with very limited use of sulfur, to preserve the raw expression of the gabbro terroir.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : On Clos des Bouquinardières, Domaine Bretaudeau 's parcel-by-parcel work reveals the vibrant, intensely saline personality of the gabbro terroir, whose straightforwardness carries the wine through from start to finish. Ageing sculpts a formidably full-bodied, delicately oily texture, while the soil creates an iodized edge and fine, remarkably long-lasting bitters. The dialogue is superb, the balance masterful. Time plays an essential role here: the precision and energy of youth create the presence of a great Muscadet for laying down. Undoubtedly one of the region's greatest white wines!

On the nose, the minerality of the terroir infuses the tangy citrus framework with scents of oyster shell and chalk. The delicacy of white flowers mingles with the vibrant scent of yuzu and the slightly smoky structure of the gabbro terroir.

On the palate, Muscadet Gabbro Clos des Bouquinardières presents a slender body, served by a fat/acidity ratio close to perfection. The chiseled tension reveals the sapidity of its iodized flavors, with mineral persistence through to the mouth-watering finish.