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Domaine
de l’écu
Domaine de l’Ecu
20, La Bretonnière
44430 Le Landreau
France
Tel: +33 (0)2 40 06 40 91
[email protected]
http://www.domaine-ecu.com
Vintages : 2009 to 2014
Release List
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The best French wines - RVF
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Decanter, The Wine Advocate
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Bettane & Desseauve
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Gault & Millau, Carité Guide
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Hugh Jonhson, Worldwide wines’s Guide
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The Great Guide of Wine Lovers – Alain Marty
Here you will find reviews of key reference books on wine.
The Domaine de l'Ecu is present through numerous quotes,
articles or reports in many French and foreign newspapers:
Revue du Vin de France, Gault Millau, Saveurs, Régal, Terre de
vins, New York Times, The Guardian, Le Nouvel Obs, Punch,
Le Figaro, Le Point, Challenges, Art of Eating, The Huffington
Post ...
Granite
Terroir.
La Bazillère – Le Landreau
Gault & Millau 2011
Wine’s Guide 2013
The Best French Wines
from Wine and Business Club – Alain Marty
Gneiss 2009: 15,5/20
Extrem minerality by the nose, hazelnut and
crumpled leaf notes.
In the mouth, you immediately dive into a
mineral universe…
Orthogneiss 2009: 16/20
Mineral wine lovers will not be disappointed. It is
a soil’s liquor with notes of rubbed stones and
limestone. Minerality is also present on the palate
with tension and invigorating freshness.
Classique 2010: 15/20
Gneiss 2010: 16,5/20
Orthogneiss 2010: 17/20
Granite 2010: 17/20
Gros Plant du Pays Nantais: 16/20
Classique 2009: 16/20
Gneiss 2009: 17/20
Orthogneiss 2009: 17/20
Granite 2009: 17/20
Wine’s Guide 2014
from Wine and Business Club – Alain Marty
Granite 2009: 16/20
Stone rubbed touches and flinty notes by the
nose. Flavours are concentrated and are
distinguished by a very present salinity, which
obtrude on the mid-palate.
Global rating: 17/20
Ange 2012: 16/20
Granite 2011: 17/20
Taurus 2011: 17/20
Orthogneiss 2011: 16,5/20
Gault & Millau 2014
The Best French Wines
Muscadet
Cuvée Classique 2013: 15/20
Gneiss 2013: 17,5/20
Orthogneiss 2013: 16/20
Granite 2013: 16/20
Taurus 2012: 16/20
Table Wine
Ange 2013: 15/20
Mephisto 2012: 15/20
Marguerite 2012: 15/20
Carpediem 2012: 17/20
Taurus 2012: 16/20
La Divina NV: 15/20
Rednoz 2012: 16,5/20
This Cuvée is juicy, fleshy and fresh; it shows a huge
maturity. Bitterness and saltiness are present with final
notes of white pepper, all expressing the aromas of
blueberry and red berries. A very “Cheeky” wine!!
Respect Environment
More information on : www.towt.eu
Terroir
Wines.
Respect the soil, fauna, flora, vines, life.
Bettane et Desseauve 2011, 3BD
Gneiss 2009: 16/20
The wine is setting up gradually around the minerality, which
constitute the main weft.
Orthogneiss 2000: 17/20
It’s always better when a wine improves with time. This wine is the
pure expression of this : with hints of burnet, flint and smoke. In
palate, we love its fleshiness and its tension. Wonderful !
As one
would
say…
Orthogneiss 2009: 15,5/20
Iodine and dried fruits are recognized on nose as well as mouth,
with a fresh and tense expression.
“Few wines at this price range are as
delicious as this Muscadet.”
Parker Guide 2011
1
“ Gneiss, Othogneiss or Granite,
express the natural and elegant
minerality of their soils. La Divina is
a high flying sparkling wine. You
absolutely need to keep in your cellar
these great cuvees.”
Bettane et Desseauve 2012
2
Granite 2009: 16/20
'Contained power' would be the best definition for this wine.It has a
great ageing potential but still too young to be appreciated at its best.
This wine shows a limpid and tense profile (from 2011 to 2020).
Vintage 2008 only starts heading towards 'iodine pleasure'.
Bettane et Desseauve 2012, 3BD
Gneiss 2010: 15,5/20
Well established saltiness, with a distinguished tension and citrus
notes.
Orthogneiss 2010: 16/20
“White wines offer a rigorous and a
transparent expression of soils, to
quote for example.”
2011 – Best French Wines
Guide
3
Taurus 2010 : 91/100
Wine & Spectator Loire
2013
4
Very iodized, luscious purety with a great end on pink grapefruit.
Granite 2010: 17/20
A persistant, powerful and elegant wine, with a nice tension, as well
as a long iodine ending and a huge minerality.
Bettane et Desseauve 2013, 3BD
Financial Times
7.12.2013 by Jancis Robinson
Orthogneiss 2011: 15,5/20
This wine ages perfectly: showing a beautiful tension with iodine
notes which are blending with citrus fruits aromas and a growing
salty ending. This makes wonders with an oyster’s jelly.
Granite 2011: 16/20
The mineral pureness is also expressing ints of iodine flavours, a
good vibration is getting out of this wine.
Taurus 2010: 16/20
This powerful and unctuous wine needs to be decanted, still a little
tight. Great potential
Bettane et Desseauve 2014, 3BD
Rubric of winemakers of year
These “cuvees” express at best the origin and the elegant minerality
of their terroirs. Ageing before consuming is a must.
Gneiss 2013: 14/20
Orthogneiss 2013: 15/20
Taurus 2012: 14/20
Granite 2013: 15,5/20 – Favorite
This great Loire Valley wine is the pure & mineral expression of its
terroir; this vintage will please to crustacean’s lovers.
Bettane et Desseauve 2015, 3BD
Gneiss 2014: 14,5/20
Granite 2014: 15,5/20
Orthogneiss 2014: 15,5/20 – Favorite
Citrus and yellow fruits, saltiness, a very nice expression of soils !
Gneiss 2011
« This wine designed to showcase the soil
type of the vineyard is chock full of
personality. Edgy, dense and pungent. A
real mouthful - so unlike many
Muscadets. »
RVF
RVF
isistalking
talking
about…
about…
Best
Best French
French Wines
Wines -- 2013
2013
«« The
The sincerity
sincerity of
of the
the range
range isis
displayed
from
the
traditional
displayed from the traditional
method,
method, with
with frank
frank and
and delicate
delicate
effervescence
effervescence ...to The
the Orthogneiss
Orthogneiss,,
very
very round
round with
with pineapple
pineapple aromas.
aromas.
Clear
Clear and
and «« sincere
sincere »,», the
the Gneiss
Gneiss
seduced
seduced by
by its
its saline
saline final.
final. Deep
Deep and
and
iodine,
iodine, Granite
Granite isis the most persistent
cuvee.
cuvee.
Our
Our best
best emotion
emotion isis the
the cuvee
cuvee
Taurus.
A
deep
white
wine
which
Taurus. A deep white wine which
easily
easily aged
aged 10
10 years
years in
in your
your cellar.
cellar.
Great
Great energy
energy with
with aa mineral
mineral tension
and
and aa salty
salty final.
final.
A
A great
great bottle
bottle !! »»
1
by
by Antoine
Antoine Gerbelle
Gerbelle
His
His best
best 2013
2013 french
french wines
wines
«« Taurus,
Taurus, new
new vintage,
vintage, made
made of
of 50
50
yo.
Melon
de
Bourgogne
yo. Melon de Bourgogne vines,
vines,
vinified
vinified in
in aged
aged barrels
barrels and
and concrete
concrete
tanks
tanks (2
(2 years).
years).
Impressive
Impressive purity
purity and
and depth.
depth. »»
France 2011
2 2
France 2011
Revue des vins de France 2013
Revue
des vins de France 2013
2012 September
2012 September
« A Muscadet like that, we don’t
«know.
A Muscadet
like :that,
we 2010.
don’t»
To reminder
Taurus
know.
To
reminder
:
Taurus
2010.
»
17/20
17/20
3
3
Les Meilleurs Vins de France
The best wines from France
2012
Muscadet Cuvee Classique 2009: 15/20
Gneiss 2010: 15/20
Orthogneiss 2010: 15/20
Granite 2010: 15,5/20
2013
Sparkling wine: 14/20
Muscadet Cuvee Classique 2011: 14/20
Gneiss 2011: 15/20
Orthogneiss 2011: 14,5/20
Granite 2011: 15/20
Taurus 2010: 17/20
2014
Gneiss 2012: 15,5/20
Orthogneiss 2012: 15,5/20
Granite 2012: 16/20
Taurus 2011: 15/20
Rednoz 2012: 14,5/20
2015
Muscadet Cuvee Classique 2013: 14,5/20
Gneiss 2013: 15/20
Orthogneiss 2013: 15,5/20
Granite 2013: 14/20
2016
Muscadet Classic 2014: 15/20
Gneiss 2014: 16/20
Orthogneiss 2014: 16,5/20
Granite 2014: 15,5/20
Ange 2014: 16/20
« The Emotion
Quebec Newspaper - 13/07/2012
« Achieving such a formal beauty, is
the meeting or the fruit becomes
mineral as the mineral becomes fruit
in turn, is a rare moment.
A great dry white that opens to a
depth
of
unique
flavors.»
> Orthogneiss 2009
Winart
The magazine dedicated to the wine –
Japon
Orthogneiss 2009:
Chosen the best wine of the Loire
Valley on vintage 2009.
Three interesting biodynamic wines 03/2014
Domaine de l'Ecu Cuvée Classique Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, France 2011
« With their baffling talk of cosmic "energies", their astral calendars and fetishistic
fascination with the burying of cow horns, biodynamic wine producers are easy to
lampoon as new-age nuts. But the stereotype rarely fits with the biodynamic
practitioners I've met, and the prevalence of high quality biodynamic wine suggests
there must be something in it. This estate in the western Loire was an early adopter,
and continues to outshine its local peers, quite literally in this brilliant, piercingly fresh
white, with its tang of sourdough bread, apples and minerals. »
Memorables Bottles for 20$
24/07/2012
Orthogneiss 2010
« Muscadet is perennially a great value, and the Muscadets from Domaine de l’Écu are
among the best. He makes three cuvées named after different soils, which, if you care
to compare them, offer a quick lesson in terroir. The Expression d’Orthogneiss is pure
and limpid, with an ample richness that belies its sheer texture. Yes, it’s delicious now,
but (lean in close) good Muscadet like this one will age and improve for years. »
Muscadet just doesn't get its due
27/08/2014
« L'Écu's three main Muscadet cuvées are meant to show off the qualities of the three
major terroirs they farm. Of the wines from 2013, a difficult but excellent vintage,
Gneiss is the softest and most easygoing. Orthogneiss is both subtler and more
concentrated, while Granite is densely mineral, lively and with great finesse.
The future of Muscadet may not be entirely white wine… But not one is as
experimental as Mr. Van Herck of l’Écu, who is making small lots of several wines in
amphora, as well as some superb reds of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and pinot
noir. »
September 2014
94pt GNEISS 2013
« One of the top producer of the
appellation and the first to make a
cuvée according to the terroir.
Grapefruit aromas with plenty of
minerality. Beautiful pristine acidity
and while it is still a bit closed now,
it has a great personnality and nice
chalky texture. Will shine even more
in years to come. »
Drink 2016-2020
2012 Orthogneiss 91 points (2014-2030)
« The brillant lemon-colored 2012 Muscadet Orthogneiss shows a complex and
dense matured aroma of ripe, rather tropical fruits, such as pineapple interwined
with lime rind, honeydew melon, floral notes and very delicate yeasty flavors. This is
a surprisingly rich, full-bodied, very complex and persistent wine with a thrilling
acidity, mineral lenght and candied citrus aromas in the aftertaste. A great Muscadet
to drink now or in the next 10 to 15 years. »
2012 Granite 90 points (2014-2025)
« The lemon colored 2012 Granite offers brisk yeasty flavors with aromas of
pineapples, limes, confit de citron and almond biscuit on the nose. Medium-to fullbodied, this a complexity mineral wine with a juicy fruit expression and a slighty
salty aftertaste. »
2013 Orthogneiss 90 points (2014-2025)
« The pale colored 2013 Orthogneiss has a precise and citric fruit aroma of candied
lime, dried apples and brown pips. The palate is quite rich but also piquant, fresh
and salty, the finish complex and long. This is another must-taste from this terrific
biodynamic domaine. »
2013 Granite 89 points (2014-2024)
« The 2013 Granite is more sensual than the 2013 Gneiss, showing clear and ripe
golden pears and citrus flavors on the nose with aromatic herbs and a delicate
iodine minerality. In contrast, the clear palate is marked by a pronounced acidity and
animating taste followed by ripe and succulent fruit flavors of honeydew melon.
This is an impressive, quite complex Muscadet with a great aging. »
2012 Ange – Pinot noir 90 points (2014-2020)
« I find this bright ruby colored 100% Pinot Noir from Amphora a very good and
enjoyable, unmasked (natural naked) red. Delicate sweet fruit flavors of cherries,
cooked strawberries, plums, blackberries and sweet paprika come straight to the
nose and are followed by a fresh, transparent, lively, silky textured wine with the
same sweet fruit flavors. This a a full-bodied, very delicate, well-balanced red wine
for wine lovers seeking the pure fruit and delicacy of Pinot Noir. »
2012 Carpediem 92 points (2014-2020)
« The lemon (not orange) colored, slightly milky Carpediem is a 100% Melon de
Bourgogne that aged in amphorae and offers deep aromas of lime and walnut
flavors. Light to medium-bodied but rich, fruit-intense if not fleshy, this is an
elegant, complex and persistent wine with a piquant acidity and a long and salty
finish. Thrilling and vibrant, this well-balanced Vin de France may unite natural
wine freaks with those connoisseurs who would never drink an orange wine. »
TOP 10 PRODUCERS
Domaine de l’Ecu 2013 Granite
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine - 93 points
« While the wine is rich and seriously textured, it has a pure fruitiness that is
beguiling, ripe and full of green and citrus flavors. Spice and minerality give a strong
sense of structure and ageability. Drink this firm wine from 2016. » —
R.V. Published 6/1/2015
Without further ado, our favorites:
Domaine de l’Ecu - “La Divina” NV | $20
« One of the most beloved estates in Nantes, in the heart of Muscadet country,
Domaine de l’Ecu has been farming organically for more than 40 years. This smallproduction, Champagne method sparkler is a blend of melon de Bourgogne,
chardonnay, folle blanche and a touch of cabernet franc and pinot noir, aged on its
lees in bottle for one year before release. Earthy, yeasty and super dry, it drinks like
a wine twice its price — or more. »
Importer: Polaner Selections
Guide Carité 2013 - 2014
The best addresses of organic wines
Domaine de L'Ecu
Gneiss 2011: ***
Limpid brilliant gold. Elegant mineral nose with ints of lemon. Supple
first mouth evoluting towards mineral notes with an attractive and
invigorating minerality, There is definitely minerality and suppleness
in this Gneiss.
Orthogneiss 2011: ***
Bright gold. Nose pleasantly flowery with fruits notes as well as being
delicately mineral. Some elegant aromas of exotic fruits such as
pineapple. Perfect to be paired with a beautiful skate filet.
Classique 2010: ***
Limpid, brilliant gold. The mouth is supple and fresh on aromas of
dried fruits. A genuine expression of Muscadet in this well balanced
wine, revealing some of the climate changes.
Taurus 2010: ****
Gold glitter. Pleasant floral and mineral nose, with notes of cut hay.
Supple in mouth with lemon aromas and dried fruits, with an elegant
oakiness. Nice persistence of minerality, with Atlantic salty notes. A
splendid expression of this grape and terroir.
RVF Special
Vintage 2011
June 2011
Loire Valley
EXCEPTIONAL
ACHIEVEMENT
Classic cuvee
« Superiority of taste and length
which cruelly highlights the dilution
of the ten preceding and following
samples. Dry fruits on the nose, it is
more mature and dense than the
average. »
RVF Special
Vintage 2012
June 2013
Loire Valley
GREAT SUCCESS
"The popular denomination. Everything is hand harvested, yields are very low,
biodynamics inspires everything, for extremely original range, with some white and
red wines of table frequently playing on the border of provocation, either the
enological point of view and that of communication. The range of Muscadet clearly
offers some of the best labels in the region. The area planted is 23 ha, the bottles
are produced each year to the number of 100,000. The wines postpone Sur Lie not
mention because they always have greater permanence in yeasts than that imposed
by the regulations of the wines. "
Orthogneiss 2012 92 points
A great wine, already in a perfect balance and reaching to a very long life bottled.
Nose on fruit, spices and rocks in the sun. Stark mouth, tasty and endless.
Granite 2012 91 points
Perfumes of great elegance, with one of the largest mergers of the mineral rock and
freshness of the fruit with yellow pulp. Long mouth, fresh, always admirable
balance.
Taurus 2011 90 points
Also matures 6 months in barrels and derived from a mixture of soils. Perhaps the
best example of management of aged barrels in the region. Fresh and complex
nose, mouth unexpected on mineral and fruity frames.
Cuvée Orthogneiss
« Round mouth, nervous, a beautiful
energy, saline frame. A wine built for
safekeeping.»
GREAT SUCCESS
Cuvée Granite
« Precise and crisp flesh, expressive,
full, deliciously spicy. Obviously
serious wine.»
Aged Muscadet
and Gastronomy
Talking about cuvee Granite,
« Sharp and well structured, Granite 2007 displays its potential,
before declining its aromatic. 2006 starts his life with its apricot
and mineral nuances : there is a real vibration on lobsters!
Very delicate, 2001 is now ready to dink and the 1992 is a real treat
on the Saint-Jacques.
More opulent with a honeyed note, the 1990 pairs perfectly with
turbot & citrus as the wonderful 1989 offers sweetness and
minerality with a truffle Monkfish bread. »
Bettane et Desseauve
Terre de Vins : press May/June 2013
La Mare aux oiseaux : 1 star restaurant - Saint Joachim (44)
Granite 2005 : It is a rich wine with notes of citrus fruits and honey, I
appreciate his gun-flint on the finish.
Orthogneiss 2011 : The chef combines this wine with fennel, fondant
scampi and apple liquorice, all topped with a shellfish heads vinaigrette,
which is caramelized with swamps honey.
Taurus 2010 : Nothing else like a bar with a peat smoke puree, capers
and juice of edges.
Revue du vin de France
Loire Valley : 100 amazing
wines
February 2014
Cuvee Ange – Pinot Noir - 16/20
« He created the « red Muscadet ». Frederic
found the right recipe in 2012 with his
Ange cuvve, a Pinot Noir harvested at only
15 hl / ha , whole cluster vinified and aged
in barrels and amphoras. Very Good
concentration balanced by the West part of
France freshness ... Muscadet still has much
to tell us ! ».
Granite 2012 - 16/20
« With this unique white wine, vinified by
soil type, Granite 2012 is the perfect
example of Muscadet throughout the world
».