91 pts Wine Enthusiast (2019)
From the heart of the Loire’s Sèvre et Maine region has produced a bright, tangy wine. Acidity and lively freshness are lifted by the touch of pepper and minerality of the volcanic soil. Drink the wine now.

Domaine Chéreau Carré occupies one of the most privileged positions in the Loire-Atlantique department of France, in the heart of the Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine appellation, directly at the confluence of the two rivers. This family-owned winery has been an innovator since the 1960s by focussing on the qualitative advancement of the Sèvre-et-Maine appellation through their exploration of their numerous single vineyards.

Château de l’Oiselinière is a 10ha vineyard that has belonged to the family since 1960. The vines here are planted on a sunny, south-facing orthogneiss dome, near the village of Vertou, directly on the confluence of the Sèvre and Maine rivers. The vineyard is in a very idyllic setting within a natural clos, protected on one side by the surrounding woods and on the other sides by the river (which also moderates temperatures for even ripening). One would struggle to find a more natural and biologically diverse vineyard in the region. Here, they produce two wines from schist and orthogneiss soils: Château l’Oiselinière de la Ramée from eight hectares of 40-year-old vines and Le Clos du Château l’Oiselinière, from two hectares of 80-year-old vines at the top of the dome.

Vinification – All the melon de bourgogne vines are picked by hand. After fermentation with selected indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, the wine is aged for six months sur lie in underground concrete vats with regular bâtonnage, followed by 12 months aging in bottle before release.