Jérôme Bretaudeau : Gabbro "Clos des Bouquinardières" 2023

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Gabbro "Clos des Bouquinardières" 2023 by Jérôme Bretaudeau

Tasting

Color

With a pale yellow hue and slightly golden highlights, this wine displays a crystalline, limpid brilliance.

Nose

The bouquet is particularly expressive, revealing aromatic notes of mint and fennel alongside citrus fragrances. Nuances of infusion, yuzu and citron add further complexity, while a mineral edge evoking flint and iodine brings depth.

Palate

The attack is supple and lively, followed by a rich, full-bodied texture. The palate unfolds with precision and purity, offering striking savoriness. The finish stands out for its saline, mineral freshness with iodized accents, extended by a pronounced bitterness that lends character and persistence to the whole.

Food and wine pairings

This Muscadet is an ideal match for seafood and shellfish such as oysters, langoustines and lobster. It also pairs beautifully with grilled fish or sea fish, as well as with aged cheeses such as goat’s cheese.

Serving and cellaring

It is recommended to let the Gabbro "Clos des Bouquinardières" 2023 rest for three to six months before tasting. Decanting is welcome to fully release its aromatic complexity. Serve between 10 and 12°C. This wine has cellaring potential until around 2030.

A biodynamic Muscadet from a rare volcanic terroir

The estate

Founded in the 2000s by Jérôme Bretaudeau in Gétigné, the estate extends across several communes in the Nantes wine region within the Loire Valley. A visionary winegrower, he has been farming his vines biodynamically for around ten years, notably cultivating Melon de Bourgogne. Recognized as a driving force within the appellation, he has restored Muscadet’s prestige thanks to long aging and an approach rooted in intuition and natural balance. Named Winemaker of the Year 2025, Jérôme Bretaudeau shines in fine-dining restaurants worldwide.

The vineyard

Clos des Bouquinardières lies on an exceptional terroir of clay gabbro, a rare volcanic igneous rock forming the lower layer of the oceanic crust. This distinctive soil from the Gorges terroir gives the wine its signature minerality. The vines, averaging thirty years old, are farmed biodynamically and harvested by hand. A controlled yield of 45 hectoliters per hectare produces remarkably high-quality Melon de Bourgogne grapes, fully expressing the unique character of this Muscadet Sèvre et Maine terroir.

Winemaking and aging

The Gabbro "Clos des Bouquinardières" 2023 is vinified naturally, with no addition of oenological products, yeasts or enzymes. Fermentation is carried out solely by indigenous yeasts. Aging takes place for eighteen months on fine lees in buried tanks, allowing the wine to develop aromatic complexity and a rich texture while preserving its hallmark mineral freshness.

Grape variety

100% Melon de Bourgogne