Clos Christelle (Muscadet SMS) by Christelle Guibert and Vincent Caillé

 Vincent Caillé and Christelle Guibert with the 2014 Clos Christelle

Adding to the increasing buzz about Muscadet is the brand new Clos Christelle Muscadet SMS – the fruit of a partnership between Christelle Guibert, who hails from the Pays Nantais but is best known as directrice of the annual Decanter World Wine Awards, and Vincent Caillé (Le Fay d'Homme), a well reputed Muscadet producer in Monnières. Today Clos Christelle had its first public outing at Millésime Bio.

Last year Christelle bought an acre of vines planted with Melon de Bourgogne and it was Vincent who vinified this 2014 Clos Christelle – happily a good vintage for a debut. She set up a small company called Vine Revival, which is based in the Impasse Auguste Renois, Haute-Goulaine and is run for Christelle by 44-year-old Rodolphe Dejoie.

During fermentation Christelle sent many text messages and instructions to Vincent from London and sometimes from Hong Kong, so hence Muscadet SMS.

The 2014 Clos Christelle was vinified in a concrete egg and this was a tank sample. It has attractive weight, a hint of butter giving complexity and is quite evolved. This may be due to being in a concrete egg. There are 3300 bottles of the 2014 Clos Christelle.    

Vincent looking slightly apprehensive 

Serving Clos Christelle 

 Christelle with an early draft mock up of the 2014 Clos Christelle label