Domaine de Bellevue (Jérôme Bretaudeau) Gaia

No formal notes. This was quite pretty and interesting, but I'm missing a bit of depth to justify the price point relative to other Muscadets...

Eye: Light gold. Nose: Delicate and floral. Green apple. Clementine. Faintly oxidative. Lightly minerally and slightly candied. Palate: Crisp. At once piercing yet round and balanced. Green apple. Pear, peach. Creamy lees. Minerally again. Lightly floral. Finish: Long, and lightly dry. Crisp apple, and orchard fruits. Dole whip. Lingering lees character and minerality. Just a hint of that natty terracotta on the far back palate.

Beautiful yeast-driven nose, which shows aromas of sourdough bread, cheese rind, lemon peel, lime, plastic and stone. High intensity of aromas. The palate adds ripe pear and ripe apple, but is otherwise pretty consistent. At 3, the lees flavors are more integrated, as opposed to on the nose where they dominate. A little reductive too which may also change with bottle age. Medium + intensity of flavors. Medium body with medium - acid. Drinking well enough now, but clearly still …

92.

Crisp and pure winemaking. Hints of salinity / oyster shell.

A fun surprise! This developed over the three days it was drunk. The first day it was served blind and the party unanimously took it for a white Burgundy, showing aromas of lemon peel, cream, caramel and slate. I’d agree, though the golden color and moderate acidity gave it away as something else to me. Good full body and concentrated mineral fruit on the palette, really nice long finish. After two days it evolved and resembled an Alsacian pinot gris, …

Very fine, crisp, pure and mineral. Great wine making.

Organic and biodynamic viticulture, 100% Melon de Bourgogne planted in the 1960's, fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged for 24 months in ovoid concrete tanks, bottled September 2023, 12.5% ABV. A marvellous salinity drives this wine, fresh and crisp without being tart, the citrus fruit is just ripe enough and the overall profile is gently softened by the full two years in concrete. Floral notes and an attractive hint of (volcanic) reduction add complexity, and the length and precision of …