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John Gilman - View from the Cellar
"This fine troika of 2011s from Domaine de l’Écu was my first experience with the wines of Guy Bossard, who is one of the seminal figures in the renaissance of high quality Muscadet in the last several decades. Monsieur Bossard's first vintage at his family domaine was 1972, and he is now semi-retired and has sold his domaine to a long- time, passionate client of the estate, Fred Niger Van Herck, who came and apprenticed with Guy Bossard for several vintages prior to taking over the reins of the property in the 2010 vintage. However, Monsieur Bossard remains very much involved here (though officially retired) and will probably still be found in his beloved vines until the day he passes on from this world. The domaine is biodynamique (one of the very first estate in the Loire to adapt these principals) and makes stellar examples of Muscadet. The three bottlings that I tasted from 2011 are all aged fully fifteen months on the lees and are crafted by soil type, with the Gneiss hailing from micro-schist soils. The wine is outstanding, offering up a deep and complex nose of bread fruit, sea salts, lovely leesy tones, dried flowers and a gentle smokiness in the upper register. On the palate the wine is medium-full, crisp and minerally, with lovely complexity, fine focus and excellent length and grip on the vibrant finish. This is delightful Muscadet and another revelation for the difficult 2011 vintage. 2013-2020."