Terre de Gabbro 2023

ProducerDomaine Le Fay d’Homme (Vincent Caillé)RegionLoire Valley, FranceGrapeMelon de BourgogneFarmingOrganic and biodynamicVintage2023ABV12%

AbstractMineral, Long, Composed
Amphora-aged Muscadet with a quiet depth and a persistent mineral character.

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.

Origin
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine lies at the western end of the Loire, close to Nantes and the Atlantic. Around Monnières, Vincent works parcels on contrasting rocks, allowing the same grape, Melon de Bourgogne, to tell different stories.

Terre de Gabbro takes its name from the dark igneous rock beneath these vineyards. The 2023 wine comes from vines aged 32 and 45 years, farmed organically and biodynamically. Hand harvesting keeps the work close to the vines, before the fruit moves to the cellar for its separate parcel bottling.

Wine
Terre de Gabbro 2023 was picked by hand and fermented with native yeasts before ageing on its lees in amphorae. The result is a long, mineral Muscadet with room to unfold at the table. Serve at 10–12°C, with a little air, alongside white fish or poultry.