Domaine de la Pépière ‘Cuvee Granit’ – A Jewel in an Unlikely Place

Domaine de la Pépière is in the Muscadet country in Nantes – the land of Melon de Bourgogne. Nantes is on the Atlantic, north  of Bordeaux. I have visited Marc Ollivier of Domaine de la Pépière a few times now.  My original visit took me to meet Marc Ollivier because of his real Muscadets.  How surprised I was then to taste his reds.

On a southern and rocky slope of the domain, just a few yards from his house and chai, Marc Ollivier planted classic Bordeaux red cépages.  When asked why, he simply said: “It is too hot for Melon de Bourgogne. The terroir on this slope is better suited for reds.”  When you are standing at the slope and listening to Marc Ollivier wearing blue overalls, the above words and his wines take on a different meaning.

As the name implies, Cuvée Granit is a blend of Cab Sauvignon, Côt (aka Malbec), and Cab Franc on a vineyard that is strewn with granite.  The wine spends a few months in neutral barrels.  There are only a few barrels.  On arrival, the wine is often tannic and structured – not surprising given the varietals and traditional vine growing & vinification. Even the label looks like something from a bygone era.  I always buy a few bottles and cellar them.  After a few months in cellar, Cuvée Granit tastes even better.  Currently, the 2012 vintage is the latest offering. Recently, after cooking lamb for a supper, I went down to the cellar to grab a bottle of the 2012 vintage.  What a delicious revelation. The wine still had the grip but loosened to reveal its charm and depth.  A jewel of red that I did not expect to find in the Muscadet country.