Domaine Musset-Roullier

La Pommeraye | Loire Valley

Located between Angers and Nantes, this family-run estate in the petite village of La Pommeraye enjoys a particularly warm microclimate, which helps to push grapes to perfect ripeness, even in cooler years.

Serge Roullier and Gilles Musset combined their family estates on the banks of the Loire River in 1994, benefiting from three generations of “savoir faire” on both sides.

The Loire’s native Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc have pride of place here; from fruity Anjou Rouge to delicately aromatic Anjou Blanc (not to mention a seductive moelleux), wines are fermented and aged in tank to preserve every bit of fresh, ripe fruit.

FARMING & WINEMAKING

Located on the right bank of the Loire River, estate vineyards benefit from the moderating influence of the river plus a wealth of different soil types (this particular region represents the southern edge of the Armorican massif): blue schist and limestone, sand, gravel and other marine sediment and fossilized materials. The estate has made sure to plant vines on soils to which each varietal is best suited.

The estate practices sustainable farming, following organic practices as much as possible and avoiding excess treatments. Beneficial herbs are planted in between rows to combat pests; the goal above all is to find a harmonious balance between the vine and the earth.

Grapes are harvested by hand. Fruit is fermented on indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks. Most wines are also aged in tank. At bottling, sulfur addition is minimal.

WHITE WINES
Anjou Blanc 'Le Moulin de Chateaupanne'
A pure Chenin Blanc that’s all about pleasure: light honey, a bouquet of wildflowers, lemon zest, silk. The perfect thirst-quencher for a spring day or a lunch of Thai coconut curry. All tank made.

 

 

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RED WINES
Anjou Rouge 'Le Neuf Vingt'

A lively, tangy and wonderfully ripe Cabernet Franc, vinified completely in tank. Violets, baking spices, fresh herbs, lots of summer ripe red fruit. A wonderful spring wine to go with a generous spread of regional goat cheese and rustic pâté.

A bit about the name: “Neuf-Vignt” translates as 9/20, a fraction of a harvest. In medieval times, free peasants worked the land for the nobility and paid “rent” with the product of their labors. (This social system is called “metayage.”) The landlord’s share of the crop, of course, was the “best” part of the harvest.

 

 

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SWEET WINES
Anjou Coteaux de la Loire ‘La Royauté’ Moelleux
Chenin Blanc can do just about anything, including transforming into liquid gold. This sweet wine (100 grams/L residual sugar) hails from ancient noble vineyard land, a walled plot where “noble rot” (Botrytis cinera) takes hold in early autumn. Harvested by hand, these naturally sweet grapes are made into a nectar that’s both luscious and light at once. The perfect aperitif before a special meal, and deliciously decadent with southeast Asian cuisine, or even hearty autumn fare like roast pork chops and baked apples.

 

 

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Established: 1994
Winemaker: Serge Roullier and Gilles Musset
Region: France • Loire Valley • La Pommeraye
Vineyard size: 35 acres

PRACTICING SUSTAINABLE FARMING

Domaine Vincent Dureuil Janthial Burgundy France