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www.buyersandcellars.ca Cellar Profile
Nestled along the Sèvre River, in the Nantes region of the Loire Valley, sits the village of Saint-Fiacre. This is Muscadet country and home to owner/winemaker Pierre-Henri Gadais’ exciting new winery, Domaine de la Combe. Gadais is one of the talented and driven new winemakers that is working hard to bring this storied region back to its former glory. The vineyard sits on the southern slopes of a valley carved out of metamorphic rock, with pebbly soil on top of layers of schist. The excellent drainage and steep slopes ensure that, despite the periodic heavy rainfalls in the region, the vines are forced to dig deep into the rocky soil to get water. Grapes are organically and sustainably grown and the estate was certified in organic agriculture in 2021. Gadais believes in minimal intervention in the cellar, utilizing indigenous yeasts and chill stabilizing to avoid malolactic fermentation. He also believes Melon de Bourgogne – the only grape variety he grows – should spend some time sitting on its lees and eschews new oak or barriques. Wines are produced in tiny lots and are some of the most complex Muscadet from the region.
Region
Muscadet sits in the Nantais region of the Loire Valley. Bordered by the foothills of the Mauges and Bocage Verdeen ranges, vineyards are frequently planted on the steep hillsides of the Sèvre and Maine Rivers. Sitting on the Armoricain Massif, its soils are primarily gneiss, schist and granite. There are crushed seashells and sand pockets leftover from retreating oceanic waters in many of the vineyards. Melon de Bourgogne is the only variety allowed in appellation-status bottlings. These white wines are typically light- to medium- bodied with vibrant acidity.
Vineyard
This single-varietal Melon cuvée comes from a selection of grapes from a single plot called l’Infernale, a nickname it probably owes to its vertiginous slope. At the mouth of the iconic Sèvre and Maine Rivers, in the little village of Saint-Fiacre, the vineyard is planted in gneiss, which has a similar composition to granite. From old vines planted in 1967, sitting in the widely acclaimed lieu-dit of Pétière, the vines have an advantageous southeastern exposure that allows them to enjoy full sun during the day. This is important, as strong Atlantic winds severely moderate temperatures and cool evenings are the norm during the growing season.
Varieties
Melon de Bourgogne is a crossing between Pinot Blanc and the little known Gouais Blanc. It was prevalent in the vineyards of Burgundy (hence its name) until it was ordered to be destroyed by the Burgundians in the 18th century. By then, it had a toehold in the Atlantic area of the Loire Valley around Nantes, where it became the dominant grape and the base for Muscadet. Typically high in acid, fresh and mineral-driven, it does not take to new oak very well. Complexity is gained by spending time on its lees. The best examples gain stone fruit notes to go along with the characteristic citrus elements.
Winemaking
Hand-harvested grapes are cool-settled for 48 hours before being gravity fed into concrete fermentation tanks. The ambient temperature and natural CO2 of these tanks ensure a stable ferment, which is done using wild yeasts. The wine rests in tank on its lees for 14 months, garnering mouthfeel and complexity, before being bottled, where it rests again before release.
Tasting Notes
This is a brawnier version of Muscadet, with aromas of quince, grapefruit, smoke and cream. The palate is quite rich for the varietal, but the telltale acidity is there. White grapefruit, green apple, tangerine and saline minerality dominate the palate, along with a creamy, leesy character. This is a wine that can age gracefully, but enjoy now, lightly chilled, with roast pork tenderloin, seared scallops or Penne Primavera.