Domaine de la Pépière

Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie Clos des Briords 2020

Domaine de la Pépière (Marc Ollivier & Rémi Branger)

The Clos des Briords is the wine that makes sommeliers fall in love with Muscadet all over again. Marc Ollivier's old vines, grown on granite beside the Atlantic, produce a white wine of startling mineral intensity — this is not the neutral, forgettable Muscadet of the supermarket shelf. The 2020 vintage, with its ideal growing conditions, delivered a wine of exceptional concentration and tension. At around $28, it might be the single greatest value in serious white wine today, and the world's finest partner for oysters, ceviche, and shellfish. If you've dismissed Muscadet, this bottle will change your mind. Cocktail — "The Nantais Spritz": Pour 3 oz Clos des Briords Muscadet over ice in a large wine glass. Add 2 oz Prosecco and a splash of elderflower liqueur. Garnish with a thin slice of green apple and a sprig of mint. The mineral backbone of the Muscadet gives this spritz a savory depth most lack.