On the far west side of the lengthy Loire Valley, near where the river spits out into the Atlantic Ocean, lies an appellation that is far too known for its light, thin and acidic white wines—Muscadet. This is not always the case. Those in touch with the French wine scene undoubtedly recognize Domaine de l’Ecu as the master of Muscadet—an estate that handcrafts celebrated bottlings that will reinvigorate any wine enthusiast’s love for this varietal, known locally as Melon de Bourgogne. When looking at this estate’s history, it is no wonder that Domaine de l’Ecu makes such incredible Muscadet; at a time when vignerons were industrializing their vineyards in the 1970s, Guy Bossard (a legend in the region) swore off all chemicals, fertilizers and herbicides. He even went so far as to de-modernize his cellar work. All of Domaine de l’Ecu’s vineyards, which Guy has personally farmed for several decades, have been certified organic since 1975. In 1998, he gained biodynamic certification as well. Although neighboring estates doubted his decisions to naturalize farming and winemaking, his captivating wines speak for themselves and they are some of the most celebrated of the region. In recent years, Guy began working side by side with Fred Niger Van Herck, so as to find a predecessor for when he retires. When Guy met Fred, his passion for terroir-driven wines and respect for natural farming and winemaking had been matched. The two clicked and since 2009, Guy has been training Fred to take over the estate and carry on the legacy of the estate.

Guy and Fred harvest the grapes from vines that are an average of 50 years of age. Highly mature, these vines yield small, potent grapes that make incredibly concentrated wines. The southwest sun exposure of the vineyard site brings ample sunshine to all angles of the grapes and of course, as the name suggests, the granite-laden soils bring rich minerality and depth on the palate. The aromatics and flavors of the site remain pure with fermentation using purely indigenous yeasts; the final wine is aged on lees in underground vats—a natural, Old World winemaking technique that is incredibly unique. I must say, this is one of the best Muscadets that I have ever tasted.