Vera Cruz 2021 - Muscadet sur Lie Luneau-Papin | Loire

Domaine Luneau-Papin 's cuvée Vera Cruz stands out as a pure, mineral expression of Muscadet Sèvre et Maine. The old Melon de Bourgogne vines, planted in 1974 on soils of micaschist and two-mica gneiss, express all the finesse and verticality of this typical Loire Valley terroir. Pierre-Marie and Marie Luneau continue the work of generations before them, with meticulous manual labor in the plots, and organic and biodynamic viticulture that respects the soil and living organisms. Winemaking is carried out with indigenous yeasts, and the wine is aged for 16 months in underground concrete and glass vats.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : Domaine Luneau-Papin 's cuvée Vera Cruz perfectly illustrates the precise, airy style that Pierre and Marie Luneau have fashioned over the decades in Muscadet Sèvre et Maine. The minerality is chiseled, but the structure remains supple and lively, making the wine immediately seductive on tasting, while offering definite ageing potential. This wine perfectly expresses the soul of the old Melon de Bourgogne vines grown on the very draining soils of the Loire Valley.

The nose is precise, brilliantly fresh, with an elegant minerality combining notes of flint, gunflint, white pepper and fresh citrus fruits whose purity bursts out of the glass. After a little aeration, kumquat, grapefruit and lime take on light floral and iodine notes.

The palate is sharp, pure and lively, typical of a fine Muscadet. The harmony between the fleshiness of the material and the precision of the acid column is sublime. Flavors of fresh citrus unfold harmoniously, carried by an underlying minerality that stretches the finish over fine, salivating bitters. Domaine Luneau Papin brilliantly demonstrates its art in bringing out the magic of Melon de Bourgogne.