Jo Landron Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Amphibolite 2021 (6 Bottles) Muscadet, France

by Fine Wine Cellars

$273.00 GST Included

AUSTRALIA WIDE SHIPPING INCLUDED

This cuvée derives its name from the greenish, metamorphic bedrock (amphibolite) that dominates the soils in which it is grown. Produced from vines aged between 35 and 40 years, this unique wine was vinified with only a short period on lees, as Jo Landron wanted to retain as much freshness and minerality as possible. Only minor doses of sulphur were used to block malo. Bottling occurred early (in March), and without filtration, to retain the earth-to-glass essence of the wine.

With some lovely textural padding this year it’s an ultra-pure, racy expression of Muscadet loaded with white floral notes and all kinds of citrus underpinned by the iodine minerality that is a hallmark of this cuvée.

“This much-heralded cuvée shows a finely expressed style in this vintage, brimming with minty saline and iodine notes, along with softer notes of crushed chalk which give the wine a mineral freshness. There is a similarly soft style on the palate which is plush and lightly gripped, with lots of midpalate substance. I find good energy here, a bright and pure style, cool with a charming grip. This has fine promise. As usual it will be best drunk over the next couple of years.” 92-94 points, Chris Kissack, The Wine Doctor

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REVIEWS

“The wines of Jo Landron are now the reference in the – too small – genre of terroir driven Muscadet.” La Revue du Vin de France

“Jo Landron remains one of his region’s most conspicuous over-achievers, and his name (or that of one of the domaines with which he is affiliated) on the label a virtual guarantor of fine quality.” David Schildknecht

TASTING NOTES

Much like the man himself, the engaging Muscadets of Jo Landron brim with life and personality. These finely-etched soil-specific wines represent the antithesis of the bland, neutral, overcropped produce that has sadly become the regional norm. Jo Landron, who learnt to farm the land from his father, took control of the family domaine 1990. His philosophy, driven by the conviction that the essence of great Muscadet is expressed through the minerality of its terroir, has raised the regional bar so high that only the granite-infused bottling from the great Guy Bossard rivals these Muscadets for sheer intensity of flavour and distinctive, electric energy.

The unique expression of Landron’s cuvées are the result of the diversity of soil types that are found within his vineyards. All are farmed organically using biodynamic practises. Vines are planted densely (8,000 per acre) to naturally control yields, which are kept to a maximum 8 bunches per vine, lower in some cases. Yields stay between 40 and 45 hl/ha – incredibly low by Muscadet standards – and naturally no herbicides or pesticides are used.

Manual ploughing and hand harvesting are followed by a direct, soft pneumatic, pressing of whole clusters. Only indigenous yeasts are used, and after a cool fermentation lasting 15-20 days, the wines are aged in glass-lined temperature-controlled cement vats, on their lees for 7-12 months. At this point, the wines are bottled using gravity flow. This traditional, minimalist approach preserves the natural freshness and minerality that is a trademark of the very best wines of this genre.

Like the Muscadet of fellow visionary (and friend) Guy Bossard, you’ll notice how much more amplitude and texture, not to mention minerality and softer acidity, these Muscadet’s possess. As well as being among the finest vignerons of the wider Loire Valley, these are the two avant-garde Nantes producers that are ploughing the front line in a mini Muscadet Renaissance, producing lovely wines that refuse to be pigeon-holed.

These are wines of Riesling like freshness and clarity yet with the mineral drive of a Dauvissat Chablis. They represent some of the finest quality/price white values from Europe today. If you think you know all you need to know about Muscadet, but have not tried these wines, then… time to think again.

Fine Wine Cellars

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