Thanks to the charisma and talent of proprietor Fred Niger, the Loire Valley’s Domaine de l’Ecu has not only helped elevate the image of Muscadet whites, it has become a natural wine lodestar for the broader winemaking community. Niger’s passion for knowledge and community is embodied in today’s wine, a deeply expressive Syrah crafted in collaboration with Domaine Viret in the Rhône Valley, the grape’s birthplace.
It is part of an ongoing project Niger named “Le Temps des Copains” (“the time of friends”), in which he partners with like-minded (i.e. biodynamic) vignerons outside of his home territory. Fred has closely partnered with several producers—venturing as far as Italy and even making a foray into beer—but today’s wine hails from his dear friend Philippe Viret in southern Rhône. I was speechless after tasting this. We all were. This is the Domaine de l'Ecu we’ve all fallen in love with—biodynamically farmed wines with brilliant purity and precision—but now Fred is able to look beyond the Loire. “Fratis” is 100% Syrah sourced from southern Rhône and finished in the western Loire, but as we tasted and re-tasted the wine we drew parallels to northern Rhône Syrah masters such as Jean Gonon: it is that good, and that serious. “What you taste in your glass is not my wine but our wines,” Fred says, and indeed the name “Fratis” suggests not just a collaboration but a brotherhood. This is a rare opportunity to experience the purity and life energy of expertly made natural wine—only about 200 cases of this wine exist in the world, and we managed to get hold of some. Do not, under any circumstances, let it pass you by!
Domaine de l’Ecu’s Guy Bossard, considered an innovator in biodynamic viticulture, was something of an oddity when he refused chemicals, fertilizers, and herbicides back in the early 1970s. At the time, many vignerons were industrializing their vineyards in an effort to increase productivity, so he blazed a trail in the opposite direction which, in turn, revitalized the region’s wines. He immediately applied for organic certification when establishing the estate and took a step further when achieving certified biodynamic status in 1998—quite a feat when you realize many of today’s top organic producers are still transitioning to biodynamic. Around 2009, Guy forged a deep relationship with Fred Niger Van Herk, who eventually became his replacement. Although Guy is still a part of the domaine, Fred’s passion for harmony and natural balance of the land matches his predecessor, while adding a renewed sense of exploration—“Le Temps des Copains” being a prime example.
Currents, monoliths, interplanetary relationships, telluric lines, magnetism, geometry—are we discussing wine or spitballing topics of discussion for our next cult meeting? Believe it or not, it’s the former, and these peculiarities relate to the philosophy of “cosmoculture.” Birthed by the minds at Domaine Viret in the 90s, this method subsumes organic and biodynamic culture and adds a mystical twist. A few examples: the belief that water is sacred and possesses memory retention; spearing rocks (like acupuncture) into the ground at specific locations to relieve the earth’s stress; and harnessing magnetic waves in order to ward off disease in the vineyard. Regardless of where your beliefs lie, these wines truly do have a magical feel on the palate.
Fred and the Viret family chose the specific parcel in southern Rhône for “Fratis.” Grapes were hand harvested at low yields under strict organic-biodynamic-cosmic principles and the beginning stages of fermentation with indigenous yeasts occurred at
Domaine Viret before being hauled to Domaine de l'Ecu in Loire. At Fred’s cellar, the wine aged in large clay amphorae for nine months before bottling. Per usual, there were absolutely no sulfur additions and both fining/filtration were eschewed; just pure, unadulterated wine. Anyone enter
St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague recently? If so, a keen eye may recognize that today’s harlequin label was pulled from one of its many stained-glass window panes (the attached picture is only a glimpse into this breathtaking world heritage site).
In the glass, 2016 “Fratis” shows an opaque deep ruby purple center leading out magenta hues on the rim. The nose is fragrant and energetic with beautiful black-blue fruit and freshly picked flowers at the forefront. Following, is a fresh mix of blackberry, blackcurrant, Damson plum, blueberry blossoms, crushed black pepper, violet, rose petal, garrigue, damp clay, wild herbs, and a touch of green olives. Its medium-plus body flaunts incredible vigor—the wine practically dances across your palate—and it finishes with impressive grace. Tannins are structured and the acidity provides absurd freshness that creates a minutes-long finish. “Fratis” has many years of growth ahead of it, but it comes alive after a one hour decant (and continues evolving long after). After proper air, pour this into large Bordeaux stems and do your best to enjoy it over the course of several hours. Remember, this wine is full of life and it would be a shame to cut that short. Pair alongside a seared venison backstrap (aka the loin) with a blackberry sauce—used liberally—on top. You’ll fall in love with this marriage of succulence and richness. Cheers!
