Jo Landron Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Le Fief du Breil 2017

$76.00
Low stock - only 6 left
Jo Landron Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Le Fief du Breil 2017
Producer Domaine Landron
Region, Country Muscadet-Sevre-et-Maine, France
Bottle Size 750ml
Product Code 20974-750

Landron’s tour de force, Le Fief du Breil, comes from a single, six-hectare biodynamically farmed vineyard on a south-facing slope above the Sèvre River in La Haye-Fouassière. Fief is a term from the Middle Ages, meaning a piece of land once associated with (and probably owned by) the local Abbey or Duke. This implies quality, as the local rulers tended to keep the best parcels for themselves. Breil means ‘next to the forest’, indicating the woodland this parcel borders. Old walls surround the vines, another sign of its historical significance.

The soils here are rich in silex (flint), river pebbles, quartz and granite, all laid over a bedrock of orthogneiss—a geologically complex site. And while Muscadet is generally flat, Jo notes that this vineyard is on “a hill by local standards”, as you can see in this clip. The 50-year-old vines open directly to the south, offering ideal exposure to produce one of the region’s benchmarks.

As you might expect from this great estate's oldest, low-yielding vines, this is Muscadet at its most penetrating and precise. Aged on its lees for 36 months, the wine has developed intense, smoky, iodine-rich characters on the nose, leading to a pulpy, smooth texture shot through with citrus pith, camomile and an almond oil and resinous complexity. This is supported by saline freshness and mineral sensation. A stunning Muscadet. Although drinking well now, Le Fief du Breil cellars wonderfully, developing extraordinary mineral crunch as it matures over the years. If you can wait, give it five years to unfurl. If drinking it sooner, give it a good decant and marvel at the magic that unfolds in the glass over a few hours. A multi-layered, terroir-driven bargain from one of the Loire’s finest growers.


Jo Landron Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Le Fief du Breil 2017

Reviews

“Jo’s top cuvée, a cru prototype, is sourced from vines aged more than 30 years, planted in soils of orthogneiss and quartz. This was vinified in cement cuve, followed by 36 months on the lees. The nose is just beautiful, elegantly polished, with notes of blanched almond, fragrant vanilla and dried citrus fruits. A super style on the palate, tense but also dense, polished, a little sinewy even, which I like, always with that bitter grip. A delightful style freshened with nuances of iodine and apple skin, this is excellent, and is clearly set to go the distance in the cellar.”
95 points, Chris Kissack, The Wine Doctor
“From the luminous golden hue to the long and powerful mineral finish, this is a gripping wine. Showing the characteristic smokiness of the site in La Haye-Fouassière, it has a firm backbone of fruity acidity and enormous concentration of flavour, but nothing is heavy or overdone. Savoury, saline and masterfully balanced.”
94 points, Decanter

Reviews

“Jo’s top cuvée, a cru prototype, is sourced from vines aged more than 30 years, planted in soils of orthogneiss and quartz. This was vinified in cement cuve, followed by 36 months on the lees. The nose is just beautiful, elegantly polished, with notes of blanched almond, fragrant vanilla and dried citrus fruits. A super style on the palate, tense but also dense, polished, a little sinewy even, which I like, always with that bitter grip. A delightful style freshened with nuances of iodine and apple skin, this is excellent, and is clearly set to go the distance in the cellar.”
95 points, Chris Kissack, The Wine Doctor
“From the luminous golden hue to the long and powerful mineral finish, this is a gripping wine. Showing the characteristic smokiness of the site in La Haye-Fouassière, it has a firm backbone of fruity acidity and enormous concentration of flavour, but nothing is heavy or overdone. Savoury, saline and masterfully balanced.”
94 points, Decanter

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