2017 Domaine de la Pépière Château-Thébaud Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Loire Valley, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

Domaine de la Pépière is produced on a 12-hectares land. This vineyard is located on the hillside of the Maine, on a highly stony soil. The vines are 25 years old on average.

The subsoil is granitic (GRANITE of Clisson and GRANITE of Château-Thébaud). The soils are very filtering, with lots of gravel. These characteristics allow an early ripening.

Grapes are harvested manually, then are carried to the wine cellar with much care. The pneumatic press is filled by gravity, and grapes are not crushed. A very slight racking enables the yeasts which are naturally present, to induce fermentation. This cuvée is left on its lees until spring, without any racking.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Right at the edge of Brittany, Domaine de la Pépière is located in the village of Maisdon-sur-Sèvre. Marc, who grew up in the hamlet of La Pépière, created the estate in 1984.
The name La Pépière has its root in the word “pépie”, which means thirst. When you walk above the hamlet, on the slopes where vines are planted, it is easy to understand why the place got that name.

Solid rock is visible in many spots, the terrain is very dry and stony and water has always been a rare commodity here. In the past, the several wells in the hamlet did not supply enough water for the people or their farm animals. Marc’s family well gives 10 liters of water per day in summer; perhaps this is the reason residents came to build a reputation as excessive wine drinkers? In any case, vines have long occupied most of the slopes above the hamlet and the river.

Over the years, Domaine de la Pépière has grown by acquiring new plots, carefully chosen for the age of their vines and the quality and originality of their terroirs.
We want our vines to get the best possible care, so our attention to their treatment is foremost in our minds.

Over the years, Domaine de la Pépière has grown by acquiring new plots, carefully chosen for the age of their vines and the quality and originality of their terroirs.
We want our vines to get the best possible care, so our attention to their treatment is foremost in our minds.

We believe that the quality of a wine depends entirely on the quality of the grapes it was made with, and our work methods fit our philosophy perfectly. Rémi joined the estate in 2007, and actively worked on the organic conversion of the vines. Gwénaëlle, who came in 2013, has pushed things further with a shift towards bio-dynamic viticulture.
It is the complexity of the terroirs of Sèvre et Maine that guides our choices. We are happy to share this diversity with you.