Domaine Brégeon - Fred Lailler

A winemaker

Fred Lailler, I was born in Gorges, a land of vineyards in Muscadet. After my BTS vitioeno in Montreuil-Bellay and a few years of experience on several estates, I wanted to return home and fly on my own wings, eager to put into practice the fruits of these years of training and the convictions I have forged.

My beliefs

Highlighting the terroir, seeking the authenticity of the wines, and crafting living wines were the foundation of my guiding principles. To achieve this, certain essentials were necessary: conversion to organic farming to rediscover the expression and vibrancy of the land, limiting yields, fermenting with indigenous yeasts, extended aging, and, of course, hand-harvesting. I needed a place with which I could enter into symbiosis, a terroir that I could capture in my bottles.

A renowned estate and a passing of the torch

In 2011, I took over Michel Brégeon's estate, 8.5 hectares in Gorges. Michel is a pioneer of high-quality Muscadet and a leading figure in promoting the wines of the Nantes vineyards; one of those who always believed that this wine, made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape, was far better than the image of a mere everyday wine that clung to it. He produced profound and subtle wines, wines with aging potential that can compete with the very best in blind tastings. In this respect, Michel guided me, sharing his knowledge and understanding of the unique characteristics of his soils.

The Conversion

Because I firmly believe that wine is the alchemy of a winemaker's encounter with a terroir, I felt compelled to find ways to express myself on the estate. It was therefore a natural step for me to convert to organic farming, a progressive approach to agriculture that benefits both the present and the future, while remaining connected to the past. This conversion will be fully implemented across the estate in 2019, with a portion completed in 2018.

The vineyard

“The difference is the stone.” The vineyard is located in the communes of Gorges (village appellation) on gabbro soil and Maisdon-sur-Sèvre (Clisson village appellation) on granite soil. 80% of the vines are massal selection, the average age of the vines is 65 years, the oldest are over a century old. The planting density is 7,000 vines per hectare, and average yields are less than 30 hl/ha. The unique characteristics of these terroirs and vines allow me to extract the minerality and complexity of the wines, each distinguished by the specific nature of the gabbro and granite soils (“the stone”) and the various sun exposures. This richness allows me to bring out the very essence of the Melon de Bourgogne grape variety.

What I wish to convey

My respect for the land and its fruits : I believe that the juices must be nurtured, resulting in a different wine each vintage, and always a living wine. I embrace the expression of a famous winemaker from the Loire Valley: "The winery should be a place of motherhood, not a place of transformation."

An emotion: For me, winemaking begins in the vineyard. I have great respect for the land and its fruits. I want to convey, through my wines, the music of a place and the emotion I feel during plowing and pruning, moments that promise a great wine, moments of symbiosis and renewal, especially when Kerline, my mare, helps me work a few acres. Every year, it's a new beginning. You have to work with the palette that nature offers. I have the privilege of practicing a profession close to the arts—painting and poetry—and I want my wines to be an expression of them.