Jérôme Bretaudeau - Domaine de Bellevue - Clos des Bouquinardières 2024
Jérôme Bretaudeau is today one of the most exciting figures in the Nantes vineyard, heading Domaine de Bellevue, located in Gétigné. After working many years in the region, he took over the family vines in the early 2000s before developing a unique estate, now essential for lovers of great Loire wines. His approach has profoundly renewed the image of Muscadet, long confined to a simple and immediate wine, by showing that Melon de Bourgogne could produce deep, saline terroir whites capable of aging. The estate works a great diversity of soils, between gabbro, granite, quartz, sands, and metamorphic rocks, with a particularly fine parcel-by-parcel reading. Clos des Bouquinardières holds an important place in this approach, as the cuvée expresses one of the most identity-rich terroirs of Gorges. The 2024 vintage fits into this search for precision, mineral vibration, and Loire energy. It is a high-definition Muscadet, rare, sought after, and very representative of the level reached by Jérôme Bretaudeau.
The Clos des Bouquinardières 2024 cuvée is made exclusively from Melon de Bourgogne, the historic grape variety of Muscadet. The grapes come from a parcel located in the commune of Gorges, in an area known for its gabbro soils, a dark magmatic rock that strongly marks the wine's identity. This terroir produces whites that are both taut, deep, and saline, with a more serious structure than a classic Muscadet. The parcel combines old Melon de Bourgogne vines and young massal selections carefully replanted to preserve the site's vegetal quality. Soil work, limited interventions, and a biological approach with biodynamic practices aim to produce balanced, ripe, and lively grapes. Vinification and aging on lees give the wine more texture, depth, and complexity without dulling its natural tension. The result is a dry Loire white of great precision, where the mineral character of gabbro dialogues with the oceanic freshness of the Nantes region.
In the glass, Domaine de Bellevue Clos des Bouquinardières 2024 reveals a crystalline, saline, and very energetic profile. The nose evokes lemon, citrus zest, green apple, fresh pear, and white flowers, with a very characteristic iodized and stony nuance. The palate is tense on the attack, then more ample, supported by aging on lees which brings volume without weighing down the whole. The texture remains chiseled, almost vibrant, with a sensation of wet rock, salt, and fine bitters on the finish. This is not a simple or merely thirst-quenching Muscadet, but a great terroir white capable of surprising with its depth and aging potential. It will perfectly accompany oysters, shellfish, a noble fish, scallops, creamy poultry, aged goat cheese, or vegetable cuisine centered around fresh herbs. Serve around 10 to 12°C in a fairly large glass, after slight aeration, to fully express its saline and mineral dimension.
Grape variety: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
This item is limited to 3 units per customer.
