In a region celebrated almost exclusively for its white wines, Pierre Goiset’s Grande Falaise 2022 emerges as a delightful surprise—a Merlot of remarkable finesse from the heart of Muscadet country. This pioneering cuvée challenges preconceptions about what the maritime climate of the Nantes vineyard can produce.
Grande Falaise comes from young Merlot vines planted on granite soils in the Le Quéry parcel of Maisdon-sur-Sèvre. While these vines lack the age of Goiset’s Melon Blanc plantings, they benefit from the same meticulous organic and biodynamic farming methods, including the distinctive horse-powered soil cultivation that has become his signature.
What sets this red apart from conventional Merlot is Goiset’s gentle winemaking approach. Rather than pursuing extraction and power, he employs a brief “infusion” of just a few days—essentially a light maceration that captures the variety’s vibrant fruit character and subtle earthiness without overwhelming tannin or weight. This technique preserves freshness and allows the granitic mineral signature of the terroir to shine through.
After this delicate extraction, the wine matures for 11 months in neutral fiber tanks, developing complexity while maintaining purity of expression. Like all of Goiset’s wines, Grande Falaise remains unfiltered and receives minimal sulfur additions, creating a living wine that evolves beautifully in the glass and bottle.
The result is visually stunning—a vibrant ruby-purple that catches the light with remarkable luminosity. Its artistic label features abstract orange shapes against turquoise and purple accents, mirroring the wine’s vibrant, playful character. At 13.5% alcohol, it offers modest power balanced by lively acidity that speaks of its cool maritime origin.
On the palate, Grande Falaise presents bright red and black fruits with subtle earthy undertones and the distinctive mineral tension that granite soils impart. The tannins remain soft and integrated, creating a silky texture that makes this red surprisingly versatile at the table—try it slightly chilled with charcuterie, duck breast with cherry sauce, or even alongside the region’s seafood-based cuisine.
While produced in even more limited quantities than Goiset’s whites, Grande Falaise represents an exciting new direction for Muscadet—proving that with thoughtful farming and minimal intervention, this historic white wine region can produce reds of remarkable character and distinction.
