PV Tasting Notes
The Clos de Briords offers the same high-pitched lusciously perfumed, fruit filled, mineral laden, salty notes as the Gras Mouton, lively but deeply concentrated, mineral driven throughout, lime, apple, pear, melon, floral and fennel, bitter lime pith and quinine gain flesh on the palate, strikingly precise, incredibly long, slightly spicy, crystalline mineral dominated finish which lasts an age. This totally vibrant wine is an absolute steal in terms of quality and price, and my knowledge of this wine means it should improve further for another 5-8 years and drink well through 2030.
Independent Review92 Points Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, Aug 2010.
Ollivier's 2009 Muscadet de Sevre et Maine Sur Lie Clos des Briords is as perfumed and lusciously-fruited a wine if its genre as you are likely to encounter, though that by no means precludes depth of mineral character. Scents of pear, clover, Persian melon, and fennel inform the nose and migrate to a buoyant yet expansive, mouthwateringly juicy palate tinged with a shimmering crystalline sense of minerality characteristic for this cuvee. This sensational value finishes with an uncanny combination of soothing refreshment and vibrancy. It is apt to be even more ravishing in another year or so and be worth following for at least 3-4.
Mark Ollivier Pepiere is one of the most consistently outstanding sources of Muscadet and as such a purveyor of some of the wine world's most outstanding values, not to mention a grower constantly striving to reach new levels of excellence, as the wines at hand irrefutably demonstrate. This vigneron is on a roll! Incidentally, after obtaining in time for the 2008 vintage a small parcel in the Gras Moutons vineyard - a gneiss contrast with his own granitic base - Ollivier relinquished the contract for the parcel that had informed his Cuvee Eden.
The “Clos des Briords” is 3 ha of 60 years-old vines situated on the granite soils of the Coteaux de la Maine.
The harvest is manual and the grapes are delicately pressed. The must is naturally fermented (no yeast or sugar added) at 19?C during one month. The cuvée will lie 7 months on its lees, without stirring.
Total production 1 500 cases made.
A few years ago, I introduced to the UK Market Marc Ollivier and his World Class Wines..... I wrote
So much has been written about Marc Ollivier of Domaine de la Pépière, long regarded as “the Legend” of the Muscadet producers, when Marc is on form, and he has been for a very long time, these hand crafted wines are of World Class quality, this heroic vigneron does in Muscadet with old vines, granite soils and low yield what others can only dream of in much more seriously expensive appellations. All of Marc’s wines are the authentic item, not only are they delicious young, but can age for 10, 20 and even 30 years. An astonishing achievement for white wines of any price bracket but these beauties are what can only be described as selling for virtually a song.
Muscadet is certainly one of the great underrated wine regions of France and quite possibly the most complex, age worthy white wine you can purchase for sub £10, all of Marc’s wines are left in contact with the lees until the time of bottling, something of a rarity now as most winemakers rush to bottle their wines as soon as possible. Whilst many boring Muscadet examples on the market are technically correct with producers using starter yeasts to accelerate fermentation together with other techniques to finish their wines early, they mostly lack the heart and soul of the Domaine de la Pépière wines. All Pépière wines are hand harvested, another rarity of the region, uses only natural yeast and waits patiently until the wines are ready. This extended contact with the lees provides extra flavour, body and a crispness that makes Muscadet so refreshing, and of course the classic match to seafood together with the perfect choice for Sushi.
The Pépière vineyards range from 40 to 80 years of age, Marc Ollivier is the only grower of the region who does not have a single clonal selection in his vineyards, which are located on a plateau overlooking the river Sèvre. Because of the soil and greater concentration achieved with through lower yielding old vines, his are more powerful wines than most other Muscadet. They are very mineral and quite austere in their youth, rather than fruity and light. Over a few months, or even years, if one can wait for it, they develop much complexity in aromatics and structure. So if you’re on a quest to find some interesting wines that aren’t over extracted, over oaked, over produced and over-priced, do work wonderfully with food, do resemble the very best selections of the region, lower in alcohol and are affordable for frequent enjoyment, then perhaps our selection of Pépière Muscadet are the choice for you, as quite a few of our regular clients are finding out.
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