The Muscadet with the broadest shoulders in the Domaine de l'Ecu lineup, Orthogneiss is layered, complex and almost creamy but with a razor-edged acidity. A singular wine in a singular group of wines. In the 2020 vintage, the domaine was told their Muscadets were "atypical" for the appellation. Rather than fight it or resubmit for tasting, Ecu pivoted and bottled the wines as VdF.
3 hectares parcel with 45-55 year old vines. Top soil is granulous and not very deep (30-50 cm). Sub-soil of orthogneiss, a metamorphosed igneous rock where minerals are arranged in bands. Organically farmed since 1975, biodynamic-demeter certified since 1998.
region: Loire Valley, France
varietal: Melon de Bourgogne
style: mineral driven white
farming/cellar: Certified organic, Certified Demeter Biodynamic, Soil worked manually and yields are kept low. All grapes are hand harvested. Gravity fed with no use of pumps. Wild yeast fermentations with no racking of the must. Only 25 mg of sulfur added between alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. Aged on the lees in underground vats for 15-18 months.
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