Guy Bossard de l'Ecu Muscadet Cuvee Classic 2015
| Country: | France |
| Region: | Loire |
| Grape Type: | Melon de Bourgogne |
| Winery: | Ecu (Guy Bossard) |
This vintage claims to be “Classic” purely to set itself apart from the tendancy to promote wines whose aromas have their origin neither in the variety of grape nor in the locality...This Muscadet is developed and vinified to be appreciated young “on the fruit”. It is crystal clear and the color of yellow straw. Lime, grapefruit, white fruits, pear and apple, salty and citrus notes are generously present on the nose.
The mouth is rich, straight, providing a beautiful acid screen; lime and soft notes of the sea provide a good balance and a great freshness in this Muscadet, superb landmarks which stretch to the end....
GRAPE-VARIETY: Melon de Bourgogne. (Local name of the Muscadet grape)
SURFACE: 4.50 ha (11.12 acres).
AGE OF VINES: 30-35 years old.
CARACTERISTICS OT THE TERRITORY: Loire Valley vineyard
Orientation of the slopes is WEST and NORTH WEST.
Soil is Siliceous with a sub-soil of metamorphic rock.
PRODUCTION: 45 hl/ha
Soil ploughing and soil scraping. Canopy management.
PRUNING: Simple Guyot.
VINIFICATION AND REFINING:
Organicly farmed since 1975.
Biodynamic – Demeter certified since 1998
- 100 % hand-picked grapes
- Reception of the grape harvest by gravity.
- No use of pumps.
- Pneumatic pressing.
- No racking of the must.
- Fermentation 100 % natural yeast.
- Aged “on the lees” in underground vats
covered with glass tiles during 14 months.
The Domaine de l'Ecu Guy Bossard Estate
The domaine is located in the hamlet of Le Landreau in Sevre et Maine, Muscadet's best region of production. The family has been producing wine there for 5 generations, but current owner Guy Bossard defies the prevailing view that organic producers can't make great wine. The estate became organic in 1975, and biodynamic in 1986. Guy Bossard makes his own compost using algae, forest brush and basalt. He produces 3 different cuvees, each masterfully crafted to highlight the expression of the specific soil types.
The Hermine d'Or designation is given to specially selected Cuvees of Muscadet, (tasted blind) that score highly. Hermine d'Or wines are picked for:
1. Typicity - Trueness to type (no oak here).
2. Ageability - The ability to improve in the bottle.
3. Minerality - Classic feature of wines of this region.
This insignia, Hermine d'Or, is as near a guarantee of quality as can be found in the region.
Matt Kramer, the Wine Spectator - My Wines of the Year -
"Ah, my beloved Muscadet always pops up on this list, as I like to buy'em and age'em for upward of a decade. Guy Bossard, the owner-winemaker of Domaine de l'Ecu, is obsessed with Muscadet. His vines and winemaking are fully biodynamic. If Burgundy's Domaine Leroy made Muscadet, it would be Domaine de l'Ecu. In the classic 2002 vintage, Bossard offered multiple bottlings based on soil types. His Expression de Granit is all about intense minerality; Expression d'Orthogneiss is spicier, richer and denser. Both need 10 years of age. The prices are absurdly low."
"The gifted, highly regarded Guy Bossard produces serious Muscadets, built to age; fully biodynamic since 1986." - Anthony Dias Blue's pocket guide to wine 2006
The Domaine de l'Ecu Guy Bossard Vineyard
Guy Bossard farms 17 hectares (42 acres) entirely using biodynamic methods. The average age of the vines is 45 years.
The wines are fermented "sur lie", on the yeast, to prevent oxidation and impart full flavor and a slight spritz to the finished product.
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Mullineux Swartland Syrah is 100 percent Syrah
Winemaking:
Hand picked grapes are cooled in our cold room, where after they are crushed and destemmed to tank, and between 20 to 50% whole bunches are added. 25ppm SO2 is added, and as with all our wines, no other additions are made. The must is initially pigeaged once a day. After about 4 days, fermentation begins with indigenous yeasts, and the wine is pigeaged once or twice a day, depending on extract and tannin development. Temperatures are not allowed to exceed 30 degrees centigrade. Fermentation lasts from 7 to 10 days, and after fermentation, two to four weeks (also depending on tannin development) skin contact is given. The wine is then drained and pressed to barrel for malolactic fermentation and maturation. The different parcels are racked in Spring to blend the wine, which is then returned to barrel and bottled unfiltered and unfined after 11 months in barrel. Please decant (or give time!) when drunk young.
Maturation:
11 months, French oak 225L & 500L barrels, and 2000L Foudre. 15% new wood in total.
Tasting Note:
Black pepper, crushed ripe berry, and tobacco aromas linger on the nose. This juice is every bit of full-bodied on the palate. Well integrated tannin gives the wine a silky texture. Flavors of blackberry, herb, and spice layer throughout and into the long silky finish. This is a big wine that can take on another 10+ years of age and will need some serious decanting if consumed early. 30 minutes of decanting will allow the wine to open beautifully.
Review:
Swartland (13.5%) Seven different vineyards on a combination of granite, schist and iron soils make up the blend of this brilliant, textbook Syrah. Running to 35,000 bottles, it has a touch of new oak, wonderful fragrance and perfume, some whole bunch grip and a smoky, brambly mid palate. 2017-23 - Tim Atkins 94 Points
"The 2015 Syrah includes two additional vineyards on granite soils after the 2015, whilst the whole bunch component is back up to 60%. It has a clean and precise bouquet with floral-tinged red berry fruit (red cherry and wild strawberry), nicely focused and developing more intensity with aeration. The palate is very well balanced with crisp acidity, fine structure, much more detail than the 2014 and I think that is down to the higher whole bunch proportion, the sense of energy flowing through on the long finish. Compared to the 2014 Syrah, I much prefer this: more freshness and complexity. - Neal Martin"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #230, April 2017), 93 pts
Intense ruby red with brilliant burgundy reflects in color. Reminiscent of wild black fruits, vanilla and spices on the nose and dry, warm, slightly austere but velvety in the palate.
This wine comes from the oldest vineyard of Collemattoni: Fontelontano. Less than half hectare. It's one of the few Single Vineyard Brunello di Montalcino riserva.
Coming from a parcel with 15-18 year old vines planted in sandy clay and marl soils.
Harvest is 100% destemmed with a soft pressing, fermentation in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature of 28-30°C, pumping over for the first week of maceration following by skin-contact maceration for 20-25 days with rack and return technique (delestage).
Malolactic fermentation completed. The delestage and the pumping over are then spaced out along the process.
Wine is slightly filtered before bottling.
Review:
"Saturated flavors of cherry and plum mesh nicely with the dense tannins in this intense, energetic red. Balanced, if a bit angular now, with the component parts needing time to integrate. Finishes with a firm grip and lingering tobacco and mineral accents. Best from 2022 through 2038. From Italy.—B.S."
- Wine Spectator Insider (April 2018), 96 pts
"Deep ruby. Very deep aromas of red plum, red berries, sweet spices and crushed stone are complicated by mint and cinnamon on the captivating nose. Juicy and extremely intense, with a crystallized quality to its sharply delineated fruit and spice flavors, this huge, structured wine is bursting at the seams with ripe fruit and flesh. A luscious mouthful of Brunello that finishes long with polished tannins and noteworthy energy, not to mention subtle building perfume.- Ian D'Agata"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (April 2018), 95 pts
