The Greatest Briords?
2009 Pépière Clos des Briords MAGNUMS
Concentration, Vigor, Complexity
Word on the street is that Marc Ollivier believes that the 09 Clos des Briords may be his best to date. Given this legendary Muscadet's ability to age and the nearly obscene value that it represents, buying these magnums seemed compulsory.
It did to us, at least. This is the benchmark Muscadet, a seriously cult geek wine with a clarity, a mineral-and-lime-zest luminosity that is simply unrivaled in Muscadet. There are certainly bigger Muscadets, there are certainly more elegant Muscadets - there are none as transparent, as brutally, as beautifully, honest.
This is one of those wines with an incredibly diverse fan base - wine geeks line up right there with top collectors for the Briords - just about everyone on the fine + rare team here, Bobby included, puts away a 6-pack of Briords magnums in top vintages.
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Do not underestimate the importance of the magnum: They expose the wine to less oxygen allowing it to evolve more slowly and with greater purity. Champagne, Riesling and yes Muscadet, simply tastes better out of magnum.
That's in the long term - in the short term a mag of Briords is the perfect aperitif for a summer party (four people is more than enough, we're only talking two bottles in one) or to wash down dozens of Snow Creek oysters once things cool down and oysters are at their peak.
The Clos des Briords contains some of Ollivier's oldest vines, many dating back to 1930. The exposition is just about perfect, though what's critical is the complex soils, a deep layer of clay and crumbly granite runs over the hard granite underneath. It's this geology that allows the grapes to ripen nice and slowly, building the complexity and mineral depth that makes Briords so unique.
The 09 vintage delivered almost ideal conditions: a warm, sunny spring with just a touch of rain that led to a warm and dry August and September. Cool nights breathed freshness and energy into the wines. The conditions at harvest are reported to have been nearly perfect - grapes were harvested at leisure and little to no sorting of the grapes was needed.
The results of the vintage and superbly situated Clos des Briords are in full display. The wine delivers a roundness and concentration married to a vigorous spine. For all its ripeness and concentration, the almost compulsive detail that marks Briords is present as well. There's a mineral complexity on display in the intermingling of salt, rock and chalk as well as a diverse array of stone fruits, herbs and flowers.
Marc Ollivier's wines are truly special: These wines manage a level of breed and complexity that transcends their appellation and yet, they stay true to Muscadet in the purest sense. This isn't a case of winemaking trumping terroir as much as it's a matter of winemaker amplifying terroir to bring it into a whole new realm.
Regardless of whether the 09 plays out to be Pepiere's greatest Briords to date, the wine will certainly be remembered as one of the greatest, longest lived vintages of this great wine.
To place your order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits
Briords will be available for delivery Friday July, 30th.
NET | No further discount