Domaine Landron

Much like the man himself, the engaging Muscadets of Jo Landron brim with life and personality. These finely etched, soil-specific wines represent the antithesis of the bland, neutral, overcropped produce that has sadly become the regional norm. Jo Landron, who the paysan tradition from his father, took control of the family Domaine in 1990. His philosophy—driven by the conviction that the essence of great Muscadet is expressed through the minerality of its terroir—has raised the regional bar so high that until recently only the granite-infused bottlings from the great Guy Bossard rival these Muscadets for the sheer intensity of flavour and distinctive, electric energy.

These are finely etched, soil-specific wines; “every soil has its own potential and identity,” says Landron, a logic that is brilliantly reflected in every wine he bottles.

The unique expression of Landron’s cuvées is the result of the diversity of soil types that are found within his vineyards. They are finely etched, soil-specific wines; “every soil has its own potential and identity,” says Landron, a logic that is brilliantly reflected in the wines he bottles. All the vineyards are farmed organically using biodynamic practices. Vines are planted densely (8,000 per acre) to naturally control yields, which are kept to a maximum of 8 bunches per vine, even lower in some cases. Yields stay between 40 and 45 hl/ha – incredibly low by Muscadet standards - and naturally, no herbicides or pesticides are used. Manual ploughing and hand harvesting are followed by a direct, soft pneumatic, pressing of whole clusters. Only indigenous yeasts are used, and after a cool fermentation lasting 15-20 days, the wines are aged in glass-lined temperature-controlled cement vats, before extended lees aging, which helps to give these Muscadets their trademark texture and complexity. At this point, the wines are bottled using gravity flow. This traditional, minimalist approach preserves the natural freshness and minerality that is a trademark of the very best wines of this genre.

Like the Muscadet of now retired (fellow visionary) Guy Bossard, you’ll notice how much more amplitude and texture—not to mention minerality and softer acidity—these Muscadets possess. These are wines of Riesling-like freshness and clarity yet with the mineral drive of a great Chablis. Landron has been certified organic for 20 years and biodynamic for 13. Everything is done by hand, from shoot-thinning to pruning to hand-harvesting—even for the introductory wines. “Minerality is not free,” exclaims Landron, “you have to work for it!”. And mineral intensity is one thing that Landron’s wines have in abundance. These terroir-driven Muscadets represent some of the finest white values from Europe today.