Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie Granite de Clisson 2022
Domaine de la Pépière
Muscadet is the ultimate wine of absence. No malolactic fermentation, no new oak, no residual sugar, no aromatic grape variety to hide behind — just Melon de Bourgogne and its terroir. Marc Ollivier's Clisson bottling, from granite soils with mandatory extended aging, proves that austerity and complexity are not opposites. This is one of the great values in French wine.
Nose
Crushed seashell and wet stone dominate, with lemon zest and green apple providing understated fruit. A faint yeasty note from the extended lees contact adds depth without richness.
Palate
Bone-dry and taut, with citrus pith, green apple, and a saline minerality that evokes the Atlantic coast. The texture has surprising weight from sur lie aging, but never tips toward creaminess. A hint of gooseberry emerges on the second sip.
Finish
Long for the category, with persistent mineral and citrus notes. The finish is the wine's signature — it keeps going when you expect it to stop.
- Varietal
- Melon de Bourgogne
- Blend
- 100% Melon de Bourgogne
- Vineyards
- Old vines on granite soils in the Clisson Cru Communal, Loire Valley
- Alcohol
- 12%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
- Skin Contact
- No
Food Pairing
The wine's saline minerality and citrus acidity make it the definitive pairing for mussels steamed in white wine, shallots, and parsley — the classic match from the Loire estuary.
Vigneron Marc Ollivier has spent over four decades at Domaine de la Pépière near Clisson, crafting Muscadet from old-vine Melon de Bourgogne on granite soils with minimal intervention and extended sur lie aging.
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