After publishing my profile of Marc Olliver this week, what else could I do - especially when the weather has been so delightfully warm - but open a couple more of his wines.
First up his most iconic wine, the Clos des Briords:
Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie Clos des Briords 2006: A limpid pale golden hue. The nose is reticent at first, before slowly unfurling to reveal the aromas of green-golden fruits with notes of rock salt, laid over a plump minerality. It has an appealing freshness on the palate, but there is a weighty almost ponderous style to it, with rather subtle although persistent acidity. A nice minerally core to it, chalky but bright, but overall the wine's character is one of bold substance and power rather than delicacy, vibrancy or nervosity. And the midpalate concentration seems a little lacking. Nevertheless a worthy wine which may do rather well in the cellar, but not really showing its best now I feel. 16+?/20
And now his 24-month sur lie wine (which therefore can't be called sur lie - 24 months is too long for the appellation!), Granite de Clisson:
Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Granite de Clisson 2005: There is great clarity here on the nose which is full of vibrant fruit, with elements of stone fruit in particular, especially white peach, with citrus fruit too, and also more exotic elements such as guava and honey, sprinkled with white pepper. Little tinges of smoke and stone too; this has just fabulous complexity! It is still very impressive on the palate too, showing a fabulous ball of fruit-rich acidity, bright and defined, which just bounces around the palate, going on and on. Overall a superbly composed wine which exhibits an elegant texture and yet also displays real substance and punch. 18+/20