Varrains domaine taken over by Thierry Germain in 1991, 28 hectares biodynamic, trained by the Foucaults of Clos Rougeard.
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.
Address: 56 Boulevard Saint-Vincent, 49400 Varrains, France, Loire Valley
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.
Centre-Loire negociant-domaine with 100 hectares spanning all eight Central Loire AOCs, including sub-domaines in Quincy, Reuilly, Pouilly-Fume and Chateaumeillant.
Tasting: Visits and tastings at the Sancerre cellar, including museum of family history
Signature wines: Sancerre La Chatellenie, Sancerre Rouge Le Rabault, Pouilly-Fumé Le Troncsec
Tip: Their portfolio is the most efficient way to taste all eight Central Loire appellations in one cellar visit.
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)
