Interview with a winemaker from the Loire region: Maxime Lavolé, sales manager for France and Exports, Domaine Ménard Gaborit, Monnières.
📽️ Interviews with Loire winemakers & Loire winery proprietors
I’m Maxime Lavolé, I’m sales manager for France and Exports at Domaine Ménard Gaborit.
Domaine Ménard Gaborit is a family owned estate, which is run by two brothers, Philippe and Thierry Ménard. We are an estatewhich covers 60 hectares in the heart of the Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine area, in Monnières.
Wines and soils
It is an area where you find a rather special soil: the traditional siliceous-clay subsoils of the Muscadet making area. But more specifically, you have bedrock called gneiss, which gives the Muscadet aromatic properties that are perhaps a little more intense, greater fruitiness and a little more body.
The estate has been certified for sustainable winegrowing for about 15 years already now. We also hold a Level 3 High Environmental Value Certificate and since the start of the year have begun an organic conversion process for around 20 hectares of the vineyard.
Our range of wines is divided into three categories:
- We have the MégaNôme range, which are really top-of-the-range Muscadets that are aged on lees for two or three years — so really very good wines;
- The MégaLie range, which are AOC Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie wines. This is really the heart of or range. It’s our main focus and what we are known best for.
- And a third range of IGP Val de Loire wines, called Ô Méga, which comes in three colours.
Sales and export
Driven by the UK, North America and Germany.
Today, our export sales are mainly to the historical markets, driven by the UK, North America and Germany. We have a presence in all of these markets as we began developing our export activities three of four years ago. It’s something that takes time. But nevertheless we are now in other countries too.
We have prospects and customers in South America and in Asia, in Japan and Taiwan.
“Wherever Muscadet, or good Muscadet, is wanted, we will be happy to provide.”
Hit the #LoireOnTour Youtube Channel link below 🔽
📽️ to watch interviews of Loire winemakers & Loire winery proprietors
