DOMAINE HAUTE FEVRIE
Loire/ MUSCADET
Nestled in the Loire Valley’s Pays Nantais, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine is about as underrated a region as it gets. This is the ancestral home of Melon de Bourgogne, a bone-dry, light-bodied white grape that’s guaranteed to steal your heart faster than you can finish the bottle. Haute-Févrie is leading the charge when it comes to terroir-driven Muscadet.
The estate's vines are perched on the hills above the Sèvre river, between Saint-Fiacre and Monnières. The combination of these hills and the river creates a perfect environment for the grapes to ripen, giving Muscadet a unique flavor that really showcases the character of the soil it was grown in.
The 30 hectares vineyards are divided into several different plots, each with its own soil type and aspect - there's everything from siliceous clay to gravelly, shallow soil on metamorphic rock. These diverse soil types give each of the "clos" its own character, like Le Clos de Févrie, Les Mauguitonnières, Les Gras moutons (Saint-Fiacre), Le Clos Joubert, Le Moulin de la Gustais, Le Clos du Pégatine, and many others.
Sustainability is a top priority for these guys, so they don't use any chemical fertilizers, and everything is done by hand - from controlling yields to picking the grapes. They also follow the AB (Agriculture Biologique) method for growing wine in a way that's good for the environment. All of these practices come together to create Muscadet wines that really capture the essence of their terroir and the natural character of the grapes.
Owner
Region
Terroirs
Farming
Harvest
Size
Grapes Grown
Website
Vineland Rep.
Sébastien Branger
Loire Valley
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Chateau-Thebaud, Monnières-Saint Fiacre
Organic & Biodynamic
Manual
29 hectares
Melon de Bourgogne
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THE CLASSICS
DOMAINE HAUTE FÉVRIE "HAUTE FÉVRIE"
Appellation: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie
Grape variety: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
Age of vines: 25 years
Harvest: Manual
Aging: aged on the lees for 7 months.
Terroir: Young vine blend - 15 to 35 years old - from the earliest-ripening plots on our estate, located on the hills overlooking the Sèvre river (gneiss).
Notes: "Haute Févrie" is enjoyed by all for its classic Muscadet profile: fresh and fruity with a light "sur lie" sparkle and a pleasant citrusy note. It is particularly well-suited for seafood.
DOMAINE HAUTE FÉVRIE "MOULIN DE LA GUSTAIS"
Appellation: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie
Grape variety: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
Age of vines: 40 years
Harvest: Manual
Winemaking and aging: whole cluster pressing - debourbage after 12 to 24 hours - classic winemaking (3 to 4 weeks) - aged on the lees for 7 months in underground, glass-lined tanks.
Terroir: "Moulin de la Gustais" is a blend of old vines planted on the heights of the Sèvre et Maine river, at an altitude of about 60 meters. The soil is shallow and rich in gravel on a mother rock composed of gneiss and orthogneiss (metamorphic rocks high in minerals).
Notes: An intense and smooth nose, with great finesse, featuring white flowers, freshly baked brioche, and a slight mineral backbone. The mouth is rich, powerful, and silky, with flavors of white flowers. Its roundness is balanced by a lively streak and a slight sparkle
single vineyards
DOMAINE HAUTE FÉVRIE "CLOS DE LA FÉVRIE"
Appellation: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie
Grape variety: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
Age of vines: 50 to 97 years
Harvest: Manual
Winemaking and aging: Direct pressing of the grapes. Debourbage after 18 to 24 hours. Fermentation for 3 to 4 weeks with natural yeasts (temperature between 18 and 20°C). Stirring 2 to 3 times before the end of the year and then aging on the lees for 11 to 13 months.
Terroir: "Clos de la Févrie" is a blend of very old vines planted on the best plots of the estate. The oldest vines were planted in 1922 on the hills overlooking the Sèvre river. The shallow soil forces the vines to draw their resources from deeper down, near the mother rock composed of gneiss and orthogneiss (metamorphic rocks high in minerals).
Notes: This is a powerful and generous Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie, bursting with flavors. The finish with ripe bitters and praline nuances is particularly promising.
DOMAINE HAUTE FÉVRIE "GRAS MOUTON"
Appellation: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie
Grape variety: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
Age of vines: 60 to 88 years
Harvest: Manual
Aging: Aged on the lees for 11 to 14 months.
Terroir: Gras Moutons is a blend from a plot located on the hills of the Maine river in Saint-Fiacre. These 7 hectares of vines are planted on a vein of amphibolite (a bluish-green metamorphic rock).
Notes: Gras Moutons is a powerful and generous Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie, bursting with flavors. The finish with ripe bitters and praline nuances is particularly promising.
92
2019
RVF
91
2020
RVF
DOMAINE HAUTE FÉVRIE "CLOS JOUBERT"
Appellation: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie
Grape variety: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
Age of vines: 40 to 50 years
Harvest: Manual
Winemaking and aging: Fermented and aged in barrels (50% oak barrels and 50% acacia barrels) for 9 to 10 months.
Soil: Gneiss (metamorphic rock)
Notes: The "Clos Joubert" cuvee comes from a vineyard plot overlooking the Sèvre. It is distinctive in that it is fermented and aged in barrels for 9 to 10 months (from fermentation to bottling). The barrel gives the Muscadet slightly woody aromas with notes of vanilla and sweet spices.
91
2019
RVF
LES CRUS
The communal crus of Muscadet represent the top of the range in terms of wines from the Nantes wine region. They offer complexity and aging potential that make them a choice for gastronomy. They can be appreciated young, full of liveliness, but when they reach full maturity, their richness will surely surprise you. In short, they rank among the great wines of the Loire Valley.
DOMAINE HAUTE FÉVRIE "CHÂTEAU-THÉBAUD"
Cru: Chateau-Thebaud
Grape variety: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
Age of vines: 50 to 75 years
Harvest: Manual
Aging: Aged on the lees for 34 months.
Terroir: Our Château-Thébaud cru is located on the "granites" of Château-Thébaud or granodiorite (a granite that has been slightly metamorphosed, halfway between granite and gneiss). In terms of soil, granodiorite produces well-draining soils. The aging on the lees in our cellar allows this Muscadet to develop the substance and characteristics that make it a great cellaring wine.
92
2016
RVF
92
2018
RVF
DOMAINE HAUTE FÉVRIE "MONNIÈRES-SAINT FIACRE"
Cru: Monnières-Saint-Fiacre
Age of vines: 60 to 90 years
Grape variety: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
Terroir: Amphibolite (metamorphic rock)
Harvest: Manual
Aging: aged on the lees for 33 months.
Terroir: Amphibolite soil (metamorphic rock) - Our Monnières-Saint Fiacre cru is located on our best plots between Monnières and Saint-Fiacre. This exceptional Muscadet is the result of careful work both in the vineyard and in the cellar. A minimum of 24 months aging on the lees in our cellar allows this Muscadet to develop the substance and characteristics that make it a great cellaring wine.
91
2016
RVF
92
2018
RVF
SPARKLING
DOMAINE HAUTE FÉVRIE, ECLISPE MÉTHODE TRADITIONELLE BRUT
Grape variety: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
Harvest: Hand-picked grapes in open-weave baskets
Winemaking and aging: Direct pressing of the grapes without re-crushing. Debourbage after 18 to 24 hours. Fermentation for 3 to 4 weeks with natural yeasts (temperature between 18 and 20°C). Aging on the lees for 7 months. Aged on racks for a minimum of 9 months to qualify for the "Méthode Traditionnelle" label. Aging on racks varies according to the vintage between 11 and 24 months. This is followed by riddling and disgorgement.
Dosage: 7 g/liter.
