As I have mentioned in the past the Péninsula “Vieilles Vignes” bottling from the Gadais family is made from vines that were planted in 1929, so these ancient vines are now closing in on their one hundredth birthday. The 2023 Péninsula is a stunning young Muscadet, revealing a complex aromatic constellation of tart pear, breadfruit, citrus peel, a beautiful base of minerality, sea salts, lemon blossoms, a touch of iodine and a topnote of ocean breeze. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused, zesty and bottomless at the core with old vine fruit, with great mineral undertow and grip, impeccable balance and a long, precise and vibrant finish. This is, of course, delicious to drink today, but it is really built to be cellared for a while and to allow all of the magical complexity of ancient vines to shine front and center!
95 points, John Gilman, View From The Cellar (Aug 2025)
The 2023 vintage was difficult for much of the Loire, but Muscadet really came out on top, and Gadais’ old-vine standout shows why they’re a first-rate domaine to know here. From 50-year-old vines in the village of Saint-Fiacre, it boasts a deep and broad nose of ripe melon fruit, banana, and lemon oil, with balanced lees notes and subtle hints of barrel spice. The underlying minerality shows through in great fashion alongside complex tones of crushed white flowers, lemon cookies, and Chenin-like beeswax. The palate is still more primary than the nose with substance in reserve, showcasing fantastic tension between lees weight and acidity. This brilliant textural dichotomy frames racy, tart lemon and lime, plus superb mineral elements of crushed gravel and oyster shell. I continue to be highly impressed by the quality of these wines, and the prices are still just unbelievable, especially for something you can stash in the cellar for years without issue.
92 points, Andrew Kitz, B-21 Loire Buyer (Sep 2025)
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