Jérôme Bretaudeau - Domaine de Bellevue - Solera 2012
Jérôme Bretaudeau spent 13 years with the winemaker Alain Gaubert as vineyards manager. In 2001, he moved to the Domaine de Bellevue, in Gétigné in the Pays Nantais. At the time, he exploited the 2 hectares of vines which he had inherited from his father. Today, the 15-hectare vineyard is divided into white (10 hectares) and red (5 hectares).
Jérome Bretaudeau is known for his extravagance, both in the grape varieties he cultivates and in the winemaking techniques he uses. He is the owner of Melon de Bourgogne vines (90%), as well as Chardonnay, Savagnin, Folle Blanche, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Gris, which are rather rare in Nantes. In red, the distribution is 40% Cabernet Franc, 12% Gamay noir with white juice, 40% Merlot, 20% Pinot Noir and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon. He experiments a lot and has stainless steel tanks, tuns, barrels, concrete eggs and amphorae for his vinification and aging.
Bretaudeau’s Solera is a very unusual wine. It is made from vines of Chardonnay grown in the Muscadet region and is a blend of 4 vintages. The wine is fermented in a clay egg then aged slightly oxidatively for 60 months in a Solera system of barrels, that is traditionally used to produce Sherry. Very few bottles were produced and the result is a rich, salty and lovely textured wine.
Grape varieties: 100% Chardonnay
Purchase limited to 1 bottle