2020 Domaine de la Pepiere, Muscadet Sévre et Maine sur Lie "Clos de Briords", Loire Valley, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

Clos des Briords is located on the hillsides of the river Maine. Only 3 hectares of old vines (over 60 years old) are selected for this cuvee.

The subsoil is granitic (granite of Chêtau-Thébaud). There is a filtering soil with ideal proportions of sand and clay.

Grapes are harvested manually then carried to the wine cellar with much care. The pneumatic press is filled by gravity, the grapes are not crushed. Fermentation naturally takes place in an underground vat, without any yeast and sugar addition, at a temperature of 19°C for about one month. This cuvee is left for 7 months on its lees 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.

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.