Wine Doctor – Chris Kissac

Domaine du Haut Bourg Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie 2019:

This is the domaine cuvée, at this early stage a sample drawn from cuve. It is due to be bottled in March 2020. The nose is all perfumed lemon and orange pip, with a crushed-mineral energy. It has a quite charming style on the palate, showing a rich and a stony substance, nicely polished but with a very pure, pebbly, sandy-mineral energy. It feels nicely framed from start to finish, and it lingers a little in the finish as well. 93/100

Pavillon du Haut Bourg Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie 2019:

In this vintage the blend includes the usual Pavillon fruit, as well as that which would have originally been destined for La Désirée, a cuvée not produced in this vintage as volumes were too small. It opens with a really salty and musky character on the nose, expressive, with notes of perfumed orange. The palate shows really firm substance, with a firm and stony texture, with a good energy and substance to it as well. It is firm, supple, and nicely polished in the finish. A well composed and long wine with some potential. 94/100

Domaine du Haut Bourg Gros Plant du Pays Nantais sur lie 2019:

This is currently in tank, and is due to be bottled in April 2020. The nose is fresh and it carries some noteworthy fruit, with some suggestions of minerally greengage, along with a little herby character. This is followed by a charming palate, fresh, sappy and herby, with a sandy substance underneath it all, and nicely poised acidity for a warmer vintage as well. Good potential here. 91/100

Domaine du Haut Bourg Grolleau Gris (IGP du Val de Loire) 2019:

This is currently resting in cuve, and is due to be bottled in March this year. On the nose it feels lightly grassy, ripe but fresh, herby and sandy. It has a rather polished, plush, texturally very easy and forward style, with pretty fruits touched with redcurrant, rhubarb and pomegranate. It has been vinified dry nevertheless it has a touch of grease to the texture. A charming, straightforward, drink-now wine. 90/100

Domaine du Haut Sauvignon Blanc (IGP du Val de Loire) 2019:

This is currently in cuve, and is due to be bottled in March this year. It starts off with a very varietal, grassy and green capsicum nose. The palate shows a solid wall of varietal fruit, all greengage, green pepper, herbs and grass, with a medium body and a lightly bitter finish which lingers nicely. Overall it has a charming but simple style which remains true to the label. 89/100

Domaine du Haut Bourg Grolleau Rosé (IGP du Val de Loire) 2019:

This rosé is still in cuve, and it will be bottled this spring. It has a peachy pink hue, with scents of strawberry, redcurrant and creamed raspberry on the nose. Meanwhile the palate presents a supple texture, quite glossy, with plenty of creamed summer fruits along with exotic hints of tangerine, all wrapped up in a dry texture, a chalky substance and a rather low-key acidity. 89/100

Domaine du Haut Bourg Merlot Rosé (IGP du Val de Loire) 2019:

This rosé is still in cuve, and it will be bottled this spring. It feels greener and fresher on the nose than the Grolleau Gris rosé tasted alongside. In the glass it displays a slightly darker colour, with some dusty chalk aromatic edges to it. This leads to a peppery substance on the palate, very plump and plush though, with a soft and silky texture, albeit dry, with the low-key acidity of the vintage again. 88/100

Domaine du Haut Bourg Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie 2018:

This is the entry-level Muscadet, a blend of several parcels, which is due to be bottled in March 2018. The obvious aromatic feature here is how fruit-rich this shows, the nose bursting with peach skin, pear and yellow plum. This wealth of fruit also comes across on the palate, which has a plump and broad presence, carrying the charming and very confident style of the vintage, supple, with gentle but correct acidity. A lovely entry-level Muscadet cuvée – well done. 93/100

Pavillon du Haut Bourg Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie 2018:

Sourced from a single vineyard with soils of red sand and quartz pebbles, planted with 40-year old vines. This will be bottled in March 2019. It is always picked early because it ripens so well, the fruit warmed by the reflected heat from the sandy soils. This has a very aromatic style, musky and minerally, a characteristic backed up by the scents of bitter citrus fruits. The palate feels a little more reserved, with subtle orange, pear skin and peach skin fruits, underpinned by a fine, dry and pithy substance, along with a gentle acidity in keeping with the vintage. There is a fine phenolic backbone to it though, and some length too. 94/100

La Désirée du Haut Bourg Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie 2018:

A brand new single-vineyard cuvée to join Le Pavillon, Signature and Origine. From 15-year old vines, on soils of stony brown shale and quartz. The fruit was previously blended into the domaine cuvée. It will be bottled in March 2019. The aromatics move it up a gear here, with crushed quartz pebbles, white pepper and pear skin. A slightly more glossy style to the palate, with creamed green apple and pear fruit, a firm minerally vein running through it, and a fresh phenolic grip, Lots of substance here, lots of grip too, and it feels fresh although the acidity is more gentle in keeping with the vintage. An impressive first vintage though, with fine potential. 95/100

Domaine de Haut Bourg Plaisance Méthode Traditionelle NV:

This is 100% Grolleau Gris, from 20-year old vines. A méthode traditionelle cuvée, it rested sur lattes for a year. The base vintage is 2017, and the dosage is 7-8 g/l. It presents a bright and smoky nose, defined by chalky, fresh and floral elements. It has plenty of energy on the palate, with peach and yellow plum fruit, an energetic mousse, with fresh and bright acidity too. Overall this feels very complete. I can see more and more sensible vignerons planting Grolleau Gris in the Nantais in years to come; it seems to work very well in the region as a base for sparkling wines. 92/100

Domaine du Haut Bourg Gros Plant du Pays Nantais sur lie 2018:

This cuvée, sourced from the domaine’s 1.5 hectares of Gros Plant. or Folle Blanche if you prefer, will be bottled in March 2019. The aromatics are fresh and appealing, with white pepper and pear skins on the nose. There follows a fresh and pithy palate, with some delightful pear-fruit character, nicely fresh, certainly ripe, rather polished and charming, with a savoury salt and pepper dressing. An attractive example of this iconic Nantais wine. 92/100

Domaine du Haut Bourg Grolleau Gris (VdP du Val de Loire) 2018:

Despite the grissuggestion, this is vinified as a white wine. This presents a very fresh, sandy and leafy nose, which leads to a palate filled with the flavours of green apple and peach leaf. Beneath this there is a slightly plump texture, which comes from the wine’s 5 g/l residual sugar, but there is also plenty of fresh character and structure. It has a nice acidity and lift. A very easy-drinking style, with a curt bitterness to the finish. It will be bottled in March this year. 91/100

Domaine du Haut Bourg Sauvignon Blanc (VdP du Val de Loire) 2018: The domaine’s Sauvignon cuvée, very popular with the on-trade, in this vintage has undergone skin contact for half the volume, for about ten hours. The nose shows a sweet suggestion of high-level ripeness, with notes of sweetly preserved lemons, albeit with more classic herby and box-tree notes. It has a very fresh, sandy, capsicum and peach-leaf character on the palate. Ripe and expressive, with rather sweet fruit, but a clean finish. It will be bottled in March this year. 92/100

Domaine du Haut Bourg Grolleau Rosé (VdP du Val de Loire) 2018:

This cuvée is made predominantly by pressurage direct, but the Choblet brothers also produce a small volume through skin maceration, which they then blend with the main part in order to get the colour just right. This was important in 2018, says Nicolas, as he was worried the colour would otherwise be too dark. It has gone through malolactic fermentation, and it is already in bottle. It kicks off with a fresh, leafy, redcurrant-fruit nose, with notes of sweet strawberry too. The palate is soft, supple, charming and accessible, with a fresh, leafy and pithy finish. A pretty wine. 90/100

Domaine du Haut Bourg Merlot Rosé (VdP du Val de Loire) 2018:

The Choblet brothers have 1 hectare of Merlot, half of which they quite sensibly channel into this rosé cuvée, the other half they vinify as red. It has a very Merlot style aromatically, with leafy hedgerow fruits on the nose, plus a touch of sandy redcurrant and plump plum. I see the same blend of sweetly ripe, summer-berry and hedgerow fruits on the palate, wrapped in a sweet vanilla cream. A pretty wine, very much for care-free, vin de soifstyle drinking. 90/100

Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie 2017

This comes from a blend of several vineyards, the vines aged 35 years on average. I suspect it will be bottled in March. It kicks off with a very classic nose, with scents of green pear skin, thyme and salt, with a ripe and musky freshness. The palate has a supple polish, with ripe white pear fruit, spiced with bright notes of green apple, verbena and sage. A nicely concentrated palate for an entry-level wine. Good. 93/100

Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie Pavillon 2017

From a single vineyard, I wrote last year this was due for a March bottling, but this went under cork in August 2018, presumably a later second bottling? It has a pale polished gold hue in the glass. I find a really expressive, open and convincing nose here, laden with mineral salts, with green pear skin and greengages. There follows a fresh palate with a charming and sinewy substance, with salted green pear slices and a sweet, citrus-tinged middle. A very lovely substance and energy here, especially in the finish which is clean, bright and vibrant. Very good, and fine value too. 93/100

Gros Plant du Pays Nantais sur lie 2017

From this ever-reliable domaine, this speaks clearly of its Atlantic origins, with a salty tinge to the sandy, grassy and green pear-skin notes. This is followed by a very cool, lemony, pine-needle character on the palate, showing an attractive freshness, backed up by a lithe texture, overall very typical of the variety. It concludes with a sappy and confident finish. This will be bottled in March 2018.
87-89/100

Grolleau Gris (VdP du Val de Loire) 2017

Here we have a fine citrus-pith nose, with a leafy freshness, as well as a little peach-skin character. This is followed by a really charming style on the palate, with a little flesh from the 7 g/l residual sugar, providing a cushion for the bitter peach-skin and pear-skin notes. Overall it is supple, easy-going, but it has a good shape and frame on the palate, and for an easy drinking vin de soif this has a really correct style. This will be bottled in February 2018.
89-91/100

Sauvignon Blanc (VdP du Val de Loire) 2017

Here we have a very expressive nose, bright and open, leaning towards varietal pungency, with scents of greengage and yellow creamed capsicum, along with veins of mint and verbena. There has been a little skin contact here, and a cool fermentation at 18C. A fresh style on the palate, with a little plump polish to it, and pine needle, mint and verbena notes. An attractive, easy-drinking style. This will be bottled in February 2018.
89-91/100

Grolleau Rosé (VdP du Val de Loire) 2017

This is made by pressurage direct, with no maceration. A quite lovely salmon-pink-orange hue here. An interesting nose of sweet peach and strawberry fruits, with the sandy overlay of the region and the soils. The palate shows the same character, slightly leafy, certainly grainy and sandy, with a soft and short finish. An attractive, easy-drinking rosé, this is already in bottle and is ready to go
89/100

Merlot Rosé (VdP du Val de Loire) 2017

This is vinified in the same manner as the Grolleau Rosé, by pressurage direct. Fragrant peach-skin notes on the nose, and fresh scents of peach leaf too. There is a more substantial palate to this, fresh, albeit with lightly candied strawberry fruits, all in all a rather typical style for a rosé made using Merlot. It culminates in a lifted and slightly sweet finish. Overall, a little firm, and a rather straightforward style.
87/100

Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie 2016

A tank sample, due to be bottled March 2017. Orange zest, and a salty-mineral backbone. On the palate an exuberant substance, with charming fruit. The fruit on the palate is similarly delightful, all yellow peach, orange zest and kumquat too, with some veins of crunchy mineral and a little minty freshness as well. Deliciously vibrant and full, and set to offer good value too.
15-16/20

Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie Pavillon 2016

A fresh and salty character, a very broad confidence, overall an imposing start. The palate is expressive, with white-peach fruit entwined within veins of peach leaf and mint, both musky and minerally at the same time. Lightly bitter, with a fresh and very long character on the finish. Very good potential, but very primary at the moment.
16-17/20

Gros Plant du Pays Nantais sur lie 2016

This has a fresh, open and quite pungent nose, with a tense minerally character. Fresh and pure, filled with peach-leaf fruit. A fuller style than is often the case, in this warmer vintage, but with fresh acidity and some good tension to it as well. A salty-mineral vein, pithy, bright and very correct. This will make a good seafood wine
15-16/20

Grolleau Gris (VdP du Val de Loire) 2016

The usual grassy, sandy but also musky nose that seems to typify this cuvée. Just bottled two weeks ago. A fresh palate, with grassy fruit, leafy and fresh, the greener style and acidity balanced by 5 g/l residual sugar. There is a little pine needle character to the fruit as well. An attractive, straightforward style, for summer drinking.
89-91/100

Sauvignon Blanc (VdP du Val de Loire) 2016

At the time of tasting this was still in tank, although bottling was scheduled for March 2017. A really quite pungent Sauvignon nose, grassy, with scents of greengage and box tree. There is an undeniable varietal thiol character here, which dominates the palate as well as the nose, with a very fresh substance, a powdered chalky character, plenty of vigour, and a soft texture.
14.5-15.5/20

Domaine du Haut Bourg Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie 2021

 A frosted vintage (again!), and as a result the yield for the entire domaine this year was just 17 hl/ha. The volume may be down, but there is no problem with interest or quality, as this presents an enticing and rather primary nose of salty and expressive minerality, dressed with a thyme-and-sage herb crust. The palat has a quite lovely expression, with some classically musky notes set in a supple bed of polished texture, underpinned by a grippy bite. Rather driven in the finish, this is super quality for the level. It will be bottled in April.

91/100  

Pavillon du Haut Bourg Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie 2021

A cuvée parcellaire, the vines for which are now in the first year of conversion to organic viticulture. Aromatically this feels very open and expressive, with fragrant scents of freshly pressed apple and green pear, dusted with crushed flint and thyme. It all feels very classic. The palate is broad, textural and sweet, with nuances of white orchard fruits here, presented with a charming leafy freshness, underpinned with bright acidity and a backbone of grained mineral nuances. It has great energy in the length. Classically styled and surely set to please.  

92/100  

La Désirée du Haut Bourg Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie 2021

A cuvée parcellaire, like the Pavillon vineyard these vines have also entered the first year of organic conversion. A sample from cuve, this feels appropriately effusive with primary fruit, the youthful energy coming across as orange zest and perfumed rose water, musky but quite clean. The palate is soft, supple, very polished, w8th a seamless substance, lots of extract and a supple texture, the finish grained with minerals and grip  It has a rich grip, but is a little light on acidity.  

90/100 

Domaine du Haut Bourg Gros Plant du Pays Nantais 2021

This is Folle Blanche, of course, from vines aged more than 45 years, with an anticipated bottling date of April 2022. Aromatically it is fresh, herby and minty, certainly expressive, with a classic Gros Plant style. I get the same character on the palate, which feels plump yet packed with herby fruits, along with a little musky edge. A supple composition, with a lightly grained finish, this does have some charm.  

88/100  

Domaine du Haut Bourg Grolleau Gris (IGP Val de Loire) 2021

This varietal Grolleau Gris, vinified as a white with 4 g/l of residual sugar, presents a leafy nose which is very much in the green-fruit spectrum, with aromas of asparagus and pea pod. It feels quite charming and easy-going on the palate, with well-defined flavours of lime, apple and asparagus, supported by a little texture from that residual sugar, and fresh acidity. Straightforward, but it has charm.  

87/100 

Domaine du Haut Bourg Sauvignon Blanc Terra Vitis (IGP Val de Loire) 2021

The Choblet brothers have divided their Sauvignon harvest into two; this part has been farmed according to the Terra Vitis charter. Aromatically it is a typical entry-level varietal Sauvignon, with notes of pine needle, lemon pip and wet blotting paper. The fruit has a very green style with touches of green bell pepper too. The palate presents this same rather challenging Sauvignon profile in a plump texture with fresh acidity. This is for diehard Sauvignon Blanc fans only.  

84/100 

Domaine du Haut Bourg Grolleau Rosé (IGP Val de Loire) 2021

 This rosé, which has already been bottled, opens with a nose of sweet strawberry and vanilla fruit fruits. The palate feels supple, polished and textured, with a somewhat candied presence of strawberry and raspberry fruits. It culminates in a rather short finish. It has a nice grip to it I suppose, but otherwise this is a rather straightforward rosé for drinking now without any ceremony.  

85/100 

Domaine du Haut Bourg Merlot Rosé (IGP Val de Loire) 2021

 This second rosé is made using Merlot, and the variety comes across on the nose as slightly leafy plum fruit. There follows a charming if rather solidly composed style, with a lightly pithy grip, and fresh acidity. It will find its fans. At the very least I like the rather charged finish it possesses, which is distinctive for the variety.  

86/100  

Signature du Haut Bourg Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu 2015

A long-lees-aged cuvée, this comes from 50-year-old vines, and it was bottled in December 2021, after a little over six years on the lees. It starts out with a smoky and flinty nose, rather musky, with notes of crushed shale. The palate goes down the mineral path with a certain confidence, showing a little bitter citrus pith which serves as a restrained backdrop for an effusive core of minerals, supported by good grip but also rather nice acidity, especially from this somewhat warmer vintage. An elegant style, polished and plush, with lovely vivacity and drive despite the wine’s richness. It has length too. Well done.  

92/100  

Signature du Haut Bourg Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu 2013

This is sourced from a parcel of 50-year old vines, planted on the same mix of soils as for Le Pavillon. The wine has been aged on the lees for a little over four years, before it was eventually bottled in preserved lemon zest, face cream, elderflower and vanilla, with a peach and citrus substance at its heart. There follows a very complete, focused and poised palate, fresh and pure, with a richer fruit profile than the nose suggested, showing notes of grilled peach slices, a citrus energy, some floral notes too, with a fine and smoky substance and a lovely central acidity. A great result in this vintage.

94/100

Signature du Haut Bourg 2012 Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu

This vintage was bottled in May 2016, after approximately 44 months on the lees. A wonderful matchstick reductive character on the nose, those lees clearly having done their work, with a mineral note behind. I get the same confident character on the palate, with supple fruit wrapped all around it, fresh and pure, yet it is also loaded with energy, all mineral seams and fresh acidity, giving it a juicy, open, welcoming character. This is seriously impressive, quite succulent, charming and yet structured and poised. Wow. From a 2017 update.

18/20

Signature du Haut Bourg 2010 Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu

This has spent 51 months sur lie. A perfumed, sherbet-tinged, delicately minerally nose here, lightly lifted by this vein. The palate follows a similar style, being fresh, poised, with a bright, lightly floral character. There is texture here, a nicely poised substance on the palate, with a good minerally undercurrent to it, as well as energy and freshness. That little floral note persists at the edges. Grippy and poised. Good. From a Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu at Twenty Years tasting.

16,5/20

Signature du Haut Bourg 2009 Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu

From 45-year old vines. One of the long lees-aged cuvées. Bottled December 2012, after three years on the lees in traditional subterranean tank. Harvested 15 days after other pickings to give more depth. The nose is fresh, open, with good polished style, solid minerality coming through. The palate is firm, correct, stylish and fairly full. There is a stack of mineral character here, such energy and a precise definition. Piles of potential, and this is quite long too.

16,5/20

Signature du Haut Bourg 2006 Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu

A pale golden yellow. Aromatically there are polished yellow golden fruits, showing signs of age but this is in no way ‘mature’. There are notes of yellow peach and brioche. The palate conveys this richness on first taste, but it is followed up by a dry entry into the midpalate, before it unfolds to reveal plenty of lively acid and vibrant, crunchy minerality. The substance is not as richly embellished as the nose first suggested, the frame of the wine very secure, crisply defined, but as it builds through the middle it does show a fine confidence, with nuances of citrus fruits and pear coming through, that certainly holds appeal. This is true in the finish as well, which is grippy and shows some dry, appealingly bitter length. A good wine in what was a difficult vintage for the region, with a wet harvest giving difficulties akin to those just seen in 2011.

16,5/20

Origine du Haut Bourg Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu 2013

The Choblet brothers have already sold all of the 2012 vintage, and so have moved on to the 2013. From 78-year-old vines, this spent nine years on the lees, and was bottled in January 2022. It feels quite tense and incisive on the nose, a little introverted perhaps, possibly a hangover from its very recent bottling (a few weeks before my tasting). The palate feels very fresh, with powdered chalk and a reductive trait that also speaks of the lees it left behind. The palate has a beautifully supple character, sinewy and polished with a slowly building mineral edge which becomes prominent in the midpalate. A very complete style, with minerals, silky fruits and acid freshness working together, culminating in a charged length. This is just lovely.  93/100 

Origine du Haut Bourg Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu 2012

A challenging vintage, with a touch of frost in spring, poor weather during flowering, and a warm summer. At each point they lost volume, in total 50%, the end result a small but rich harvest. It was bottled in December 2017, after about five years on the lees, earlier than usual, as Nicolas felt the wine was evolving an overly rich style and needed to come off its lees. It has a pale polished gold, with green tints. This is followed by a nose of crushed orchard fruits, with some exotic notes too, of mango, lychee and white pepper. The palate is no less convincing, with a very broad and rich substance and a creamed fruit texture, all cut with charming threads of acid and mineral. A quite captivating style. Excellent. I suspect Nicolas made the right decision here. 96/100

Origine du Haut Bourg Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu 2009

Like the 2012 vintage this too was taken off the lees and bottled in December 2017, but in this case the wine had already seen out 99 months sur lie. Even though this is from a warmer vintage, it feels tense and much more minerally than the 2012 Origine tasted alongside, with a nose of quartzy pebbles and a musky edge, much more classic in style. This much also comes across on the palate, which has a quite gentle charm to it, a polished style, with delicate stone-fruit flavours, fine threads of minerality and acidity, and some floral elderflower could be traced back to the warmth of the growing season, which adds complexity without distracting. A very good style which will do well in the cellar for a few years yet. 95/100