Discoveries and alternatives
Lebrin - Vins Libres
- A borderland range: Olivier Lebrin works between the Nantais and Anjou, in the buildings of a former seigneurial estate. His range stretches from muscadet to pinot gris, locally called malvoisie, and includes cuvées matured in cask.
- Malvoisie 2025: sweetness deliberately retained: The Coteaux d’Ancenis Malvoisie 2025 comes from ripe pinot gris grown on predominantly schist soils. Slow, temperature-controlled fermentation is stopped by cross-flow filtration and cooling to retain some grape sugar. Pear, white and candied fruit accompany a soft, rounded palate; the estate suggests blue cheese or grilled prawns.
- A Muscadet with time in wood: Muscadet Élevé en fût de Chêne 2024 gives a named example of the other direction in the range: oak maturation. Alongside the Malvoisie, it shows that the choice here concerns both grape variety and how the wine is made.