Excelsior AOP 2006

Domaine Luneau-Papin is located southeast of Nantes and was founded by Pierre Luneau and Monique Papin. After the Luneau brothers separated in the 90ies in a dispute about the desired way of cultivation, Pierre Luneau and his wife Monique Papin merged their estates and founded the Domaine Luneau-Papin. Since 2005, the family business has been supported by their son Jean-Marie and his wife Marie, who have meanwhile taken over the management of the estate. They started to cultivate the single parcels individually and approached in careful steps more and more the organic cultivation, which is meanwhile certified by the Demeter association. The wines of the domaine are exclusively made of the Melon de Bourgogne, which came to the Loire with Burgundian monks in the 16th century.

The Excelsior comes from vines over 80 years old from the slatey parcel "La Plécisière" in the village of Chapelle-Heulin. The vineyards are cultivated exclusively by hand and fertilized with purely organic material. The yields are around 30hl/ha. After pressing, the juice goes into the typical glass-tiled concrete tanks where it ferments at a good 20 degrees before maturing on the lees for 36 months. Regular stirring during this time prepares it for a further 24 months of maturation on the fine lees before it is bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Strong golden yellow with bright reflections, radiant and clear.

The nose of the 2006 Excelsior from Domaine Luneau-Papin oscillates between fruit, yeast, stone and noble tire notes. To fully appreciate this potpourri, it is recommended to decant it like a great Burgundy and to get the expensive glasses out of the cupboard. Then notes of mace, white mushroom and dried fruit like apple rings, lots of quince as well as wet stone after a warm summer rain show up. Influenced by the long yeast time, pastry notes are omnipresent, oscillate between biscuit and bread notes and are always garnished with candied.    

Gripping and powerful, the Excelsior shows itself on the palate and dresses it completely. With a fine spiciness in the nose, it pays tribute to its maturity without indulging exclusively in secondary aromatics. Citrus oil and dried fruit garnish it with reduced fruitiness, the tannins show themselves pleasantly leafy with morbid bite on the palate. Profound with subtle punch, it is aromatically complex with at the same time enormously low-threshold drinking resistance. Great wine for great cuisine.