Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Gorges by Domaine Michel Brégeon

In the glass

Medium-bodiedLow tanninHigh acidityDryLong finish

Aroma: wet stone, lemon zest, white flower, fine spice

Palate: citrus, saline texture, stony minerality, tension

Cru Communal Muscadet from gabbro, the decomposed blue-green igneous rock unique to Gorges. 70-year-old vines and long lees ageing produce incredible texture and tension.

What it pairs with

Plateau de fruits de mer
Full saline texture handles oysters, langoustines, whelks and crab in a single sip.
Lobster thermidor
Creamy gratin shellfish demands the wine's structure, tension and chalky finish.
Aged Comté (30+ months)
Hazelnut crystallisation in mature Comté finds the wine's textural tension and fine spice.
Smoked salmon blinis
Smoke and chalky lift meet smoked fish; the cuvée's stony minerality lifts cream cheese.

History

Michel Brégeon worked for his family's domaine for seven years before going independent in 1975. Brégeon retired after the 2010 vintage; Fred Lailler now leads the domaine and continues the long-lees ageing tradition.

1975 — Michel Brégeon establishes his independent domaine
2010 — Michel Brégeon retires; Fred Lailler assumes leadership
2011 — Gorges recognised as a Cru Communal of Muscadet Sèvre et Maine

Facts

Producer: Domaine Michel Brégeon
Grapes: Melon de Bourgogne (100%)
Classification: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC (Gorges Cru Communal)
Oak: Vinified and aged on lees in underground glass-lined vats for around 36 months, no oak
ABV: 12.5%
Price: EUR 25 to 40 at retail
Drinking window: 3-20 from vintage
First vintage: 2005
Organic: ORGANIC CERTIFIED
Vegan: Yes (no animal-derived fining)

Scores

Vinous 92 (2018 vintage, reviewed 2022)

Frequently asked about Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Gorges

What does Brégeon Gorges taste like?

Wet stone, lemon zest, white flower and fine spice on the nose; citrus, saline texture, stony minerality and tension on the palate. Medium-bodied with high acidity and a long, tense finish.

When should I drink Brégeon Gorges?

Drink between 3 and 20 years from vintage. The gabbro structure, 70-year-old vines and 36 months of lees ageing give the cuvée remarkable cellaring capacity.

What is gabbro?

Gabbro is a decomposed blue-green igneous rock found only in Gorges within Muscadet. It gives wines their unique structural tension and stony character.

Is Brégeon Gorges vegan?

Yes. The estate is organic-certified and the wines are produced without animal-derived fining agents.

Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Gorges