The fact that we don’t have to explain what Muscadet is these days (not muscat, not at all sweet), and that much of the U.S. encounters these wines in top bistros, hip seafood shacks, and anywhere fresh oysters are served on the half-shell, is due largely to just a few producers. They include Marc Olivier, Jo Landron, and the star of today’s offer: Fred Niger. His role as the maestro of Domaine de l’Ecu for the past 15 years, has been instrumental in pushing both the terroirs of Muscadet, and natural, biodynamic winemaking to the forefront of wine culture in both the U.S. and globally as well. We’ve featured his wines many times, but it's been awhile so I’m super excited to re-introduce these iconic wines. And there’s no better cuvée to do so than the soaring “Granite,” named, not surprisingly, for the hard, rocky soil where the vines struggle to produce the pristine, perfectly balanced fruit that transforms into a soaring, mineral drenched, white wine masterpiece. Oh, and since it is Muscadet it’s still an amazingly good deal!

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 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. Without a family successor, Guy began looking for a partner some years ago as he knew that retirement was not far off. That is when Guy met Fred, and realized 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.

Today Fred and his wife Claire work side by side, harvesting grapes from vines that are an average of 60 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 to 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. A few sips of “Granite” are all it takes to realize that this is not just top tier Muscadet, but world class white wine.

In order to maximize the aromatics, I would serve this decadent Muscadet in large Burgundy stems (side note: Melon de Bourgogne, the grape of Muscadet, is almost certainly a cousin of Chardonnay). In the glass, the 2022 Granite Muscadet shows a light yellow core that moves to green reflections on the rim. The aromatics are enchanting with aromas of fresh cut yellow apples, salt preserved lemons, honey, white mushrooms, oyster shells, exotic white flowers, wet wool and nori. The palate of this Muscadet is fleshy and round, and brings serious pleasure. The flavors mimic those of the nose, in addition to bright, balanced acidity and an astonishingly long, saline and mineral drenched finish. I would recommend taking this wine out of the refrigerator and decanting it for roughly thirty minutes, so as to let it warm up slightly before drinking—this wine comes to life once it has been out of the fridge for about this time. Oysters on the half shell are a classic pairing of course, but this wine has the depth and complexity for a range of dishes, including herb roasted chicken or the classic Coquilles Saint-Jacques recipe below–now that would be a truly glorious meal!