Dampierre-sur-Loire Saumur-Champigny estate of 18.5 hectares, certified organic since 2007, with cellars dug into the tuffeau cliffs above the Loire.
Signature wines: Les Fevettes, Lisagathe, Tuffe
Tip: Lisagathe, from the two best old-vine parcels, is the long-ageing flagship; book the troglodyte cellar visit.
Address: Le Hureau, 49400 Dampierre-sur-Loire, France, Loire Valley
Varrains domaine taken over by Thierry Germain in 1991, 28 hectares biodynamic, trained by the Foucaults of Clos Rougeard.
Tasting: Visits and tastings by appointment in Varrains
Signature wines: Cuvee Domaine, Clos de l'Echelier, Franc de Pied
Tip: The Franc de Pied cuvee from ungrafted vines is the cellar-door rarity; the Cuvee Domaine is the textbook entry point.
Varrains domaine taken over by Thierry Germain in 1991, 28 hectares biodynamic, trained by the Foucaults of Clos Rougeard.
Tasting: Visits and tastings by appointment in Varrains
Signature wines: Cuvee Domaine, Clos de l'Echelier, Franc de Pied
Tip: The Franc de Pied cuvee from ungrafted vines is the cellar-door rarity; the Cuvee Domaine is the textbook entry point.
Le Landreau Muscadet pioneer: Guy Bossard converted to organic in 1975 and Demeter biodynamic in 1998; Fred and Claire Niger took over in 2010 and continue the legacy.
Tasting: Visits and tastings by appointment in Le Landreau
Signature wines: Granite, Expression d'Orthogneiss, Expression de Gneiss
Tip: Granite, Orthogneiss and Gneiss are the three soil-cuvee bottlings that mapped Muscadet's terroir before Cru Communals existed.
Le Landreau Muscadet powerhouse, ninth-generation Luneau family with 47 parcels across Chapelle-Heulin, Le Landreau and Vallet, biodynamic and pioneers of single-vineyard Muscadet.
Tasting: Visits and tastings by appointment in Le Landreau
Signature wines: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine L d'Or, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clos des Allées, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Pierre de la Grange
Tip: L d'Or from granite, Pierre de la Grange and the Clisson Cru Communal show three terroirs at the top of the appellation.
Maisdon-sur-Sevre estate established by Marc Ollivier in 1984, Cru Communal pioneer with Clisson, Gorges and Chateau-Thebaud bottlings.
Tasting: Visits and tastings by appointment at the Maisdon-sur-Sevre cellar
Signature wines: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Gorges, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine La Pépie
Tip: Clisson from gabbro soils gets 24+ months of lees ageing; it ages 10-15 years and tastes like white Chassagne at one-third the price.
La Haye-Fouassiere estate uniting Domaine de la Louvetrie, Les Grands Houx and Chateau de la Carizere over 46 hectares, organic since 2000 and biodynamic.
Tasting: Visits and tastings at the La Haye-Fouassiere cellar by appointment
Signature wines: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Amphibolite, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Le Fief du Breil, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clos la Carizière
Tip: Amphibolite is the entry-point soil-cuvee; Le Fief du Breil is the long-aging old-vine flagship.
Gorges-based domaine taken over in 2011 by Fred Lailler from the retiring Michel Bregeon, with the Gorges Cru Communal aged 28 months on lees in underground glass-lined vats.
Tasting: Visits and tastings by appointment in Gorges
Signature wines: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Gorges, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
Tip: The Gorges Cru, from gabbro and amphibolite soils, is among Muscadet's most age-worthy bottlings.
This is an immersive experience of wine, craft, and passion. Together with Gérald, a bilingual English-French winemaker, enjoy a vineyard visit, a wine tasting of 9 w...
One of the best ways to see the Loire Valley is on a bike, so will be taking you on a slow cycle ride beside the mighty Loire River, our tour will give you an insight ...
Experience wine with the winemaker ! Join Gérald, a bilingual English-French winemaker, for a vineyard visit and guided tasting of 6 wines at Domaine Beaumont. Under ...
Wine tastings and winery visits in Loire Valley (22) · Wine tours and day trips in Loire Valley (35) · Wine tours by bike in Loire Valley (5)
