Salty, minerally, appley, bready, appley again, this time riper, pastry … ish. … Nice.

Francois currently farms around 45ha but will steadily reduce this by around 10ha over the coming three years in order that he can progress from their current organic certification through to a full biodynamic regime. There’s a couple of key points at Ménard-Gaborit that are worth highlighting. Firstly, they have some very well sited old-vine vineyards in three of the relatively recently established cru Communeaux; Gorges, Pallet and Monnières St. Fiacre. Secondly, they give these wines extended ageing on the fine lees in glass lined tanks sunk deep into the ground, it’s not unique in Muscadet but for a wine which is often viewed as ‘drink youngest available’, 2018 as the current vintage certainly catches the eye.

Barrel aged Muscadet? … No, we weren’t sure we wanted to taste it either. Francois is clever though and he’s created something very attractive, genuinely a bit different and interesting and something of real quality that allows you to nicely open out the Muscadet conversation. It’s not ‘classic’, but it’s certainly very good. There’s a bit of extra scale and quite a lot of texture, there’s no obvious wood influence, it’s more a bready, pastry sort thing in quite a subtle way … and that works surprisingly nicely with the classic saltiness which is still very clear. Not an obvious choice maybe but frankly, neither is that jumper you’re wearing. ;0) . Stay interesting.