Les Bêtes Curieuses, 2020 Update
As seasoned Muscadet drinkers are perhaps already aware, Les Bêtes Curieuses is the brainchild of the two Jérémies, more properly known as Jérémie Mourat (pictured) of the eponymous domaine in the Fiefs Vendéens appellation, and Jérémie Huchet, the young patron of an extensive Muscadet empire including Domaine de a Chauvinière, among others. The two Jérémies joined forces some years ago to create Les Bêtes Curieuses, focusing on the wines of the new crus communaux appellations.
Having started out with some older vintages, some clearly in élevage for a long time (they began working together in 2012, but one of their most noteworthy early releases was a 2004 Gorges which had been left on the lees for eight years), today the vintages are a little less distant. On this occasion, however, I started with a completely new cuvée, featuring the sommelier’s best friend (in that it comes in at a lower price point than most Muscadet), Folle Blanche.
The Wines
While I was intrigued by the 2018 Folle Blanche I found the style rather strict and quite focused on the acidity. The four cru cuvées were offered a significant step up in terms of quality and interest. I favoured the 2014 Monnières-St-Fiacre and 2013 Gorges most, the former showing a fine and sinewy style with apple-skin fruit, the latter a more mineral energy and a confidence-inspiring vein of reduction. A small step down from this, although perhaps with hidden potential, was the 2017 Clisson, fresh and textural, but carrying fine mineral and acid components. Come back to this in five or ten years and I suspect it will shine, and the same may well be true of the 2014 Château-Thébaud, like the Clisson also from a granite terroir and which shows a similarly good structure.
