2005 Domaine de la Pépière (Marc Ollivier) Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des Briords- France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (5/6/2019)
Served with pan-seared scallops, this was a good, if not great bottle. It still showed the baseline citrus and salinity, but it was a bit tired, perhaps even slightly oxidative. That being said, the hints of oxidation actually worked well with the brown butter notes in the scallops. I have a few more bottles, and will get to them soon. Given the low ($10) cost of this for me when I bought it, there’s no downside to having experimented with extended aging.
You got quite the deal! I think I paid around $12 for mine Too bad it didn’t show great, but I think it’s the vintage speaking: 02 and 04’s don’t feel so tired.
A few months ago I popped a 2007 and 2017 side-by-side. The 07 had increased depth and presence but was, as expected, missing the lighter, fresher notes of the livelier 2017. I was hoping for a bit more complexity/layering from the aging. I preferred the younger wine. A different bottle of each (different evening, different food, etc) could have reversed the results.
My takeaway is…don’t be shy about popping Briords, early and often. If a few find their way on to the cellar racks for a decade+, no harm either.
These data points are helpful to those looking to age Pépière’s Briords, including myself. I read here, and not disagreeing, that overly extending the cellar time beyond may not have the desired optimal results.
I’ve recently had 10 year-old samples from 2009/10 that still showed fresh with liveliness, lessened but still had some zingy acidity, hard candy notes, and showed more mineral complexity that may have been enveloped by the bracing acidity when young.
I’ve always liked the 2005. It is rounder than the 2004 and some other good vintages but it’s been my impression that was because of the ripeness of the fruit rather than a deficiency of acid. I have more Briords than anything other than JJPrum, so I’m grateful for the vintage variation.
Those were the days. It’s still an affordable wine but’s it’s clearly gone up a solid tick. And I wouldn’t mind if they were taking a few coins extra for themselves. A worthy house.
I had a magnum of the '05 (acquired for $24 on release) that was singing last summer. Didn’t seem tired at all in the larger format. But, that was also nearly a year ago.
I’m in the camp that there’s really no reason to age these - it’s certainly not a transformative process like you see with Nebbiolo or Pinot Noir. More persistence as opposed to improvement. But as some folks have said, if you like them a little less edgy/energetic, no harm in doing so either.
I just got some of the 2015 Pepiere Les Gras Moutons, i was considering baby killing one this weekend, I’ll probably lay a few down depending how that goes.
A recent 1997 Clos des Briords showed a transformation not unlike what one would expect from a well-aged white Burgundy. It picked up honeyed richness that added a different form of complexity than it showed in its youth while retaining a vibrant and bright mineral and floral core. I love them both young and old and each offers its own pleasure.
For another data point, a 1997 Cuvée Buster in September 2015 was extraordinary and also picked up more complexity from age.
I visited the Domaine in 2012. Marc is a great host. He treated us to several younger vintages, some tank samples and a bottle from 1984. That 28 year old wine was lovely. Fascinating stuff and still holding on fine…lots of tertiary interest. I’m not sure the same could be said of every bottle…from every older vintage. Things usually get considerably more hit & miss with age.
Anyway, If I wait until 2035 to try the 2007 again (28 years), I’ll be 85 years old…assuming I live that long. Easier to enjoy the young stuff now and maybe forget a few in the cellar. There’s something about the light crisp lemony seashell notes that I really dig in the youngsters. A chacun son gout.
I can empathize with Mike here. I love aging Clos des Briords and always buy two cases per release. One for now, one for later. The Clisson’s also go through pretty cool transformations - at their best, reminding me of higher end Chablis with their minerality, weight, and acidity.
Too bad it didn’t show great, but I think it’s the vintage speaking: 02 and 04’s don’t feel so tired.