Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie 2025

ProducerDomaine Le Fay d’Homme (Vincent Caillé)RegionMuscadet Sèvre et Maine, Loire Valley, FranceGrapeMelon de BourgogneGeologyGneiss and mica-schistFarmingCertified organic and biodynamicVintage2025CertifierEcocert; Demeter

AbstractCitrus, fine lees, saline finish
Citrus fruit, a little roundness from the lees and a fresh, saline finish.

Winemaker
Vincent Caillé’s enthusiasm extends from his colourful knitwear to the possibilities beneath his vines. Over the years he has bought and sold parcels around Monnières, gradually assembling what he considers the right combination of terroirs. Gneiss and gabbro give him different expressions of Muscadet to work with; long lees ageing gives those differences time to unfold.

The fifth generation at Domaine Le Fay d’Homme, he began farming organically in 1996, with biodynamics following in 2012. His daughters Emmanuelle and Clarisse joined in 2024, sharing the cellar and vineyard work. More hands, and more time for Vincent among the vines.

Wine
There’s more flesh to this Muscadet than its modest appearance might suggest. Low yields bring concentration to the Melon de Bourgogne, while ageing on the lees in underground tanks builds texture and depth.

Citrus fruit has a generous middle, drawn together by fresh acidity and a saline finish. Vincent gives it time to fill out, with little sulphur added. The result retains Muscadet’s appetite for seafood, with enough substance to carry through lunch.

Origin
Monnières sits southeast of Nantes, at the Atlantic end of the Loire. This is Muscadet Sèvre et Maine country, where Vincent’s vineyards span a varied geology.

The fruit for this wine comes from vines around 45 years old on gneiss and mica-schist around Monnières-Saint-Fiacre. It’s the estate’s Muscadet Sur Lie; Vincent also makes a separate cru bottling bearing the village name.