“Muscadet fell out of fashion 20 years ago, but today it's all the rage, thanks to a handful of quality-conscious producers who are raising the bar. This is one of the top producers of the appellation, and the first to make a cuvee according to the terroir.“
DECANTER MAGAZINE
Many feel that Domaine de l'Écu (along with a very small group of other domaines, of course) can be thanked for Muscadet’s identity today. The domaine's influence can be attributed to three main factors. The first is the very early adoption of organic viticulture, well before it was fashionable to do so.
The vineyards of Domaine de l'Écu have been certified organic for over 40 years and certified biodynamic for over 20 years. Secondly, an unshakeable belief in the unique terroirs of Muscadet that inspired vinification and bottling based on soil type, as opposed to appellation blends.
Thus was born the famed terroir wines from the subsoils of Gneiss, Orthogneiss and Granite. And, finally, unlike most regular Muscadet, the wines are aged sur-lie for 15-18 months, resulting in a texture and layered complexity that have come to define the unique style of Domaine de l'Écu Muscadets, and set them apart from other wines in the appellation. In fact, some Loire cogni scenti have argued that Domaine de l'Écu should be its own appellation - like Chateau Grillet, for example - due to the singularity of the wines.
Besides these factors, there are a series of non-negotiable ‘house rules’ that apply to all the wines at Domaine de l'Écu: working the soils by hand, harvesting by hand, fermenting with indigenous yeast, avoiding pumping or racking of the must (only gravity), and minimal use of sulphur. All in all, it is a philosophy of 'no make-up'; just true wines without adulteration or artifice.
In recent years, the domaine has seen a change of hands since celebrated owner and natural viticulturist Guy Bossard had no heirs interested in taking over the property. The estate is now run by a passionate, wine-loving gentleman named Frédéric’s Niger. Fred is a very ‘hands-on’ owner and is dedicated to maintaining the greatness of the estate. Like Bossard, Fred is a fanatic in the vineyards, crops extremely low, and makes Muscadets that have remarkable depth, precision and age-ability.
Featured Wines
Nobis Syrah
2020
Nobis Syrah was sourced from 25-30 year old Syrah vines from two hectares planted near the village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
Farmed using organic and biodynamic practices and aged in stainless steel vats. Vinified without sulphur, no fining or filtration. 30mg of total SO2 added before the bottling.
Ange
2018
The vineyards for Ange have both gneiss and orthogneiss soils. Their yields are low, from 25 to 30 hectolitres per hectare, and produce a balanced, concentrated grape.
Grapes are harvested manually, vatted whole and fermented with native yeasts for 10 days before pressing. The wine is then aged for 10 months in amphorae with no sulphites being added.
Mephisto
2016
An elegant and aromatic wine, produced with the red grape variety Cabernet Franc, grown in the area of Nantes, in the Loire Valley. Aged in terracotta dolium for two years to enhance the fragrant fruity notes of the grape without weighing down the wine with hints of wood.
“Full, flattering, round, expressive nose, on black fruits and red berries, blackberry, strawberry, redcurrant, notes of white pepper. Tense but charming mid-palate, still tight but velvety tannins, good volume, rich, deep, delicate, chiseled fruit, notes of sweet spices. A wine vinified to sublimate and respect the Cabernet Franc, a certain idea of finesse and delicacy, no over-extraction in this bottle.”
Domaine de l'Ecu