2020 Muscadet, Granite, Clos des Perrières, Jérôme Bretaudeau, Loire
About this WINE
Domaine Bellevue
Patrick Vauvy`s Domaine is now producing benchmark single varietal Loire wines. He took over the family Domaine in 1991 after studying viticulture and oneology at agricultural college. Today the Domaine now has 18 hectares of vineyards planted with Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay, Cabernet Franc, and small amounts of Chardonnay and Cot.
The vineyards are located on predominantly sandy soils on the north bank of the Cher Tributary. All the grapes are hand harvested and the majority of the red grape varieties are then fermented using a semi-carbonic maceration, as in used in Beaujolais. A small proportion of Sauvignon Blanc undergoes a short `maceration pelliculaire` which adds an attractive depth to the white wines.
Touraine
Located around the central city of Tours, Touraine is famous for the Cabernet Francs of Bourgueil, Chinon and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, as well as for the dry, sweet and sparkling Chenin Blanc wines of Vouvray and Montlouis.
The bulk of the region's wines are produced under the Sauvignon de Touraine appellation, a good-value Loire Sauvignon Blanc produced on sandy, undulating clay flats between the Cher and Indre tributaries. Reds are also made from Côt (Malbec), Cabernet Franc and Gamay.
Recommended producers: Domaine Jean-Marie Penet, Jacky Blot
Melon de Bourgogne
The most commonly grown grape in the Pays Nantais region of the Loire and the grape behind Muscadet wines. It was first planted in the Loire in the 17th century as the result of a severe frost and the decimation of most of the red varieties. Growers were attracted by the grape's resistance to frost and by its suitability for distillation.
It is a naturally high yielding grape that performs best on schistous and granitic soils. It produces very dry white wines with a distinctive mineral feel as well as almost neutral-flavoured fruit characteristics. Seldom seen outside the Pays Nantais, although there are some plantings in its native Burgundy.
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