DOMAINE DE LA PÉPIÈRE
Monsieur Marc Ollivier, now in his autumn of his vigneron life, is slowly turning over the reign to the next generation of Rémi Branger and Gwénaëlle Croix. Rémi joined as an employee in 2007 and is now a partner in the domain. Monsieur Ollivier had purchased some vineyards from Rémi's father. When Rémi became committed to a similar approach in farming and cellar practices at the domain, Monsieur Ollivier offered him the partnership. The circle becomes complete. Gwénaëlle joined the domain as a partner in 2013. With the three vignerons, the positive energy now put into the domain is enormous and palpable.
DOMAINE DE LA PÉPIÈRE MUSCADET Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
The subsoil is granitic from GRANITE of Clisson and GRANITE of Château-Thébaud. Château-Thébaud is a village, not a name of château. The soils are very filtering, with lots of gravel. These characteristics allow an early ripening. Grapes are harvested manually, then are carried to the wine cellar with much care. The pneumatic press is filled by gravity, and grapes are not crushed. A very slight racking enables the yeasts which are naturally present, to induce fermentation. This cuvée is left on its lees until spring, without any racking.
CLOS DES BRIORDS MUSCADET Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
The subsoil is granitic (granite of Chêtau-Thébaud). There is a filtering soil with ideal proportions of sand and clay. Grapes are harvested manually then carried to the wine cellar with much care. The pneumatic press is filled by gravity, the grapes are not crushed. Fermentation naturally takes place in an underground vat, without any yeast and sugar addition for about one month. This cuvee is left for 7 months on its lees without any racking.
LES GRAS MOUTONS MUSCADET Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
The subsoil consists of gneiss and foliated rock, which allows a good deep-rooting. The soil is clayey-siliceous, and quite deep. The vineyard is planted at the top of a hill on a south-facing slop overlooking the river Maine. Grapes are harvested manually then carried to the wine cellar which much care. The pneumatic press is filled by gravity, the grapes are not crushed. There is a very light must settling then the juice is guided gently into an underground vat for one to two months without any yeast addition. The wine is matured for 9 months on its fermentation lees to add complexity.
CUVÉE GRANITE
The "Cuvée Granit" is a red produced on the hillsides of La Pépière village. These south-west oriented hillsides are located on granitic slopes where the rock outcrops in many places. Grapes are manually harvested as they reach full ripening. They are destemmed and put in tanks for a period of one week to ten days. A natural fermentation follows without any yeast addition. The wine is aged in three to seven year-old barrels for a period of seven to eight months.
LA PÉPIÈ CABERNET FRANC
Pépie Cabernet is a red produced on the hillsides of La Pépière village. These south west oriented hillsides are located on granitic slopes where the rock outcrops in many places. Grapes are manually harvested as they reach full ripening. The grapes are destemmed and put in tanks for a week. The fermentation is preceded by a 4-day cold maceration. Only the free-run juices are kept for this cuvee. There is a 5-month maturing in stainless steel vats.
LA PÉPIÈ CÔT
Pépie Côt is a red produced on the hillsides of La Pépière village. These south-west oriented hillsides are located on granitic slopes where the rock, called Granite de Clisson, outcrops in many places. The grapes are harvested manually at full ripening. The grapes are destemmed and in a tank for a week. A 4-day cold fermentation is carried out before maceration. Only the free-run juices are kept for this cuvee. There is a 5-month maturation in stainless steel vat.
CLISSON Cru
Clisson is one of the nine Commune Crus declared by AOC in 2011. Domaine de la Pépière Clisson sees about 30 months of lees aging. This extended lees-aging protects the wine, while giving this wine the extra depth and saline, mineral character. Fresh. Elegant. Classy. Harmonious and delicious. From the ~100 year old vines grown on clay over granitic subsoil.
GORGES Cru
Gorges is one of the nine Commune Crus declared by AOC in 2011. Domaine de la Pépière Gorges sees about 30 months of lees aging. The vineyard is located at the top of plateau, consisting of magmatic pluton rocks. The soils are deep, characterized by the presence of weathering quartz clay. Distinctive. Saline notes with a hint of fennel, which is unique to this Cru.
