Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin

The Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin winery is a family-run establishment on the sunny slopes of the Sèvre et Maine area, which is one of the most prestigious additional geographical mentions of Muscadet, located 20 kilometres from Nantes in the southern Loire region. The winery was founded at the beginning of the 18th century and has been in operation for 9 generations since then.

The vineyards, which cover almost 50 hectares, are south-west facing and planted with Melon de Bourgogne, which is the most famous and widespread vine in this area. Brought here by Burgundian monks in the 16th century, this variety is now famous worldwide. From the outset, Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin has been able to develop the various Muscadet Sèvre et Maine crus by cultivating and vinifying the best plots within the commune of Landreau separately. Overall, this area has a very particular and varied terroir. The soils are composed mainly of mica schist and gneiss, although some plots are characterised by a mixture of silica, volcanic rocks and schist. The vines have an average age of more than 40 years and often reach 65 years. Of all the cru, the one that stands out is the Butte de la Roche, from which the Terre de Pierre cuvée is produced. The landscape here is truly unique, with the hillside surrounded by wetlands that fill up with water in autumn and winter, while in summer the water gushes out and the surrounding area is transformed into a large grassy marsh. This phenomenon results in an incredible biodiversity between the vines. Butte de la Roche has become a geological point of reference as the deep serpentine subsoil has risen to the surface as a result of underground landslides. This soil is very difficult to work and gives the cuvée Terre de Pierre an expressive aromatic richness and unique minerality.

The land is cultivated without the use of herbicides, which preserves, safeguards and protects the vineyard. Only copper and sulphur are used as treatments in the vineyard. A few years ago, the winery started converting to organic production. This is the only way for the Melon de Bourgogne grapes to express their minerality to the very best. The grapes are harvested by hand and only healthy and clean grapes reach the cellar. In the vinification process, intervention is kept to a minimum. The grapes are soft-pressed and processed according to their plots. The Muscadet is renowned for its vinification on the lees: after alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel, it is transferred to underground vats lined with glass tiles and left in contact with the lees throughout the ageing process from winter to spring. With this production process, Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin obtains wines with an extremely fruity and fresh profile, with important marine notes. These wines go perfectly with fish dishes and fresh cheeses, although their finesse allows them to be enjoyed on any occasion.