L’Ecu
Sevre et Maine, Loire Valley
“We renounced all technological artifice in the cellar to break with the movement of standardization wines and preserve the bond between each of our vintages a vintage and terroir.”
- Founded in 1972, Certified Organic since 1975
- Biodynamic since 1998 (Demeter) across its 24 hectares.
- Certified Biodyvin since 2014.
- Passionate about a return to amphora – while requiring a lot of work, it has many advantages. The natural origin of the clay and the neutrality of the terracotta respects the purity of the fruit and the expression of the terroir. Thermal regulation, the natural circulation of the Lees favor to the complexity of the wines… amphoras is not an end in itself but remains for Fred, the culmination of a comprehensive process related to biodynamics, and allows him to offer balanced wines with no added input or SO2.
- Prime location – three metamorphic rocks: Gneiss, Orthogneiss, and Granite with healthy, old vines.
- A Stong belief in the unique terroirs of Muscadet – vinification and bottling based on soil type, as opposed to appellation blends.
- Unlike most regular Muscadet, the wines are aged sur-lie for 15-18 months, resulting in a texture and layered complexity that have come to define the unique style of Domaine de l’Ecu Muscadets and set them apart from other wines in the appellation.
- Working the soils, harvesting by hand, fermenting with indigenous yeast, avoiding pumping or racking of the must (only gravity), and minimal use of sulfur. All in all, it is a philosophy of “no make-up”; just true wines without adulteration or artifice.
Recently, Fred Nigers took over from celebrated owner and natural viticulturist Guy Bossard after working as his assistant for several years. Fred is extremely passionate and is dedicated to maintaining the greatness of the estate. Building on a great foundation, Fred stewarding the vineyards, with Bossard as an ongoing consultant, these wines are remarkable.
Like Bossard, Fred is a fanatic in the vineyards, crops extremely low, and makes Muscadets that have remarkable depth, precision and ageability. His passion and connection to nature guide his every move in the vineyard and cellar. He is ever-present, observant, and mindful, always with the goal of working in tandem with the forces of nature and never against them. Pure expressions of soil and grape.
We are also excited to begin offering the wines of Fred’s “Love and Grapes” project! Fred has collaborated with vignerons across France and Italy that share the same perspective on winegrowing to offer wines from a diversity of terroirs. Check out the first releases available below and be on the lookout for new collaborations!
Wines Currently Available (inquire about further availability)
MUSCADET Sèvre et Maine CLASSIC (new vintage coming spring 2022) – 100% Melon de Bourgogne
- SURFACE: 4.5 ha.
- AGE of the vine: 30-35 years.
- TERROIR: West-facing slopes, north-west. Silica soil, subsoil of metamorphic rocks.
- PRODUCTION: 40 hl. Plowing and scratching of the soil
- TRAINING: Guyot Simple.
- ORGANIC farming since 1975. BIODYNAMIC – Demeter Certification since 1998.
- HARVEST 100% Manual. Reception of Harvest by gravity, no pumps.
- Pneumatic pressing, whole grape harvest. NO SETTLING.
- FERMENTATION: 100% Native yeasts. Aging on lies in underground tank
- PRODUCTION: 1,666 cases
MUSCADET Sèvre et Maine ORTHOGNEISS – 100 % Melon de Bourgogne.
- SURFACE: 3 ha.
- AGE of the vine: 45-55 years.
- TERROIR: slopes oriented Southeast. Shallow and granular soil. Subsoil: Orthogneiss.
- PRODUCTION: 35 hl/ha. Ploughing and scratching of the soil works in green.
- TRAINING: Guyot Simple
- ORGANIC farming since 1975. BIODYNAMIC – Demeter Cert. since 1998.
- HARVEST 100% Manual. Reception of Harvest by gravity, no pumps.
- Pneumatic pressing, whole grape harvest. NO SETTLING.
- FERMENTATION: 100% Native yeasts. Aging on lees in underground concrete tank
- PRODUCTION: 1480 cases, 300 Magnums
JANUS Vin De France – 100% Chardonnay.
- TERROIR: Loire Valley. Southeast Orientation. Subsoil of Orthogneiss.
- PRODUCTION: Soil plowing and scratching, de-suckering, de-budding,
- TRAINING: Guyot Simple
- ORGANIC farming since 1975. BIODYNAMIC – Demeter Certification since 1998.
- HARVEST 100% Manual. Reception of Harvest by gravity, no use of pumps.
- Pneumatic pressing. No settling. Fermentation 100% in native yeasts.
- FERMENTATION: NSA. Aging in concrete vats 9 months unfiltered, unfined
- PRODUCTION: 750 cases
MEPHISTO Vin De France -100% Cabernet Franc.
- SURFACE: 0.8 ha.
- TERROIR: Loire Valley. Southeast Orientation. Granite Subsoil
- PRODUCTION: around 30hl/ha plowing and ground scratching, desuckering, debudding, stripping manual..
- TRAINING: Guyot Simple
- ORGANIC farming since 1975. BIODYNAMIC – Demeter Cert. since 1998.
- Harvest 100% Manual. Reception of Harvest by gravity, no use of pumps. Stemmed, vatting 12 days
- pneumatic pressing. 100% in native yeasts. elevage in amphorae for 15 months. No fining or filtration. NSA
- PRODUCTION: 416 cases, 100 Magnums
Celeste – Vin de France – 60% Chardonnay, 40% Folle Blanche
- Yield is ~20hl / ha, Training is Guyot Simple
- 100% manual harvest, 100% Biodynamic
- Hand-de-stemming of the Chardonnay followed by 8 months of maceration on the skins in amphorae.
- Hand-de-stemming of the Folle Blanche, 1 month maceration on skins followed by 1 year amphora aging.
- Blending before bottling
- Fermentation 100% in indigenous yeasts.
- Unfiltered, No added sulfur
- 182 cases produced
Love and Grapes Muse – Vin de France – 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Yield is 50hl/ha
- 100% manual harvest
- Reception of the harvest by gravity, no use of pumps
- 50% – 24-hour vatting, 50% – direct pneumatic pressing
- Fermentation 100% in indigenous yeasts
- Aging in stainless steel vats.
- 500 cases produced
Love and Grapes Nobis – Vin de France – 100% Syrah
- Organic farming & Biodynamic practices
- Sourced from a single 2ha site near Chateauneuf-du-Pape
- Gobelet/Bush-trained vines
- Harvested by hand
- 10-day maceration, native yeast
- Aged 10 months in stainless steel
- No fining, no filtration, bottled with minimal sulfur added.
- 1,250 cases produced
- The label art originates from “The Kiss” in the “Wedding Tower” in Darmstadt, Germany
Love and Grapes Trinity – Vin de France – 80% Grenache, 20% Cinsault
- Organic farming
- Rhone Valley, 2-hectares
- Gobelet/Bush-trained vines
- 15-day maceration, de-stemmed grapes, 100% natural yeasts
- Aged 10 months in stainless steel
- No fining, no filtration, bottled with minimal sulfur added.
- 666 cases produced
- The label art originates from a fresco in the “Wedding Tower” in Darmstadt, Germany
Love and Grapes Nexus – Vin de France – 100% Pinot Noir
- Collaboration with Philippe Gilbert
- Organic, Biodynamic (Biodyvin & Demeter)
- Menetou-Salon, single-hectare parcel “Les Clos des Treilles”
- Kimmeridgian Terroir
- Hand-harvested, gravity-fed only
- 21-day maceration, 25% whole-cluster, 100% natural yeasts
- Aged 9 months in 400-liter amphora
- No fining, no filtration, no sulphur added
- 310 cases produced
- The label art originates from stained glass found at St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague
