Winemaker Wednesday: Domaine de l’Ecu
Today, we speak with Frédéric Niger Van Herck, who works with Guy Bossard, a fifth generation winemaker, at Domaine de l’Ecu. Here, they craft Muscadet with expressive minerality using organic and biodynamic farming practices.
Tell us about your property (how long it has been in your family, how long you have been making wine there, the size, any growing philosophy you might have):
We have 22 hectares of vines on the hillsides of “Le Landreau.” The soils in Ecu Estate are mostly made up of three metamorphic rocks: Gneiss, Orthogneiss and Granite. Our soils are well situated and include healthy old vines that are mainly mass-selected (as opposed to nursery clones). Our whole production in sold in bottle.
Our goal is to make wine with direct benefit to the soil: the wines are bottled according to “terroir” but not within the time period specified by “sur lie” regulations. We have both AB & Demeter certification and pick 100 percent of our grapes by hand.
We produce a number of different wines from our varied soils. Although we put the same grape variety through an identical vinification process for each wine, the differences in the final wines are proof of the influence of “terroir.” While standard Muscadet should be consumed quickly (within two/three years of the vintage), our Granite and Orthogneiss Muscadets can be kept well until the tenth year and can age beautifully for 20 years or more. Our Gneiss Muscadet is light and fruity.
Overall, minerality is the main word to describe our wines.
If you do not come from a winemaking background, how did you come to the wine business?
At University, I studied law, intending to become an attorney. In 2000, I created a web hosting company. Yet, passionate about wine for 20 years, I decided to sell my company and went back to school to become a winegrower. I have been working at Domaine de l’Ecu with Guy Bossard, a fifth-generation winemaker, since the start of 2011. Guy was an early adopter of organics, practicing organic viticulture since 1975 and biodynamics since 1998.
What is your favorite vintage and cuvee from your own property and why?
My favorite is the 2009 Orthogneiss because of its minerality and spices flavors. It pairs perfectly with roasted spicy shrimp and coriander whipped cream.
When you are not drinking your own wines, what are you drinking? What other wines, beers, etc. do you enjoy?
Some of my favorite white wines are “Silex” from the Didier Dagueneau Estate (Sancerre), the wines from Overnoy Estate (Arbois Pupillin) and the “Grenache blanc vieilles vignes” from the Clos des fées Estate (Roussillon). As for reds, Rayas Estate (Châteauneuf ) is the wine I like best. I also like “La Tourtine” from the Tempier Estate (Bandol), “1903” from the Roc des Anges Estate (Roussillon), “Los Abuelos” from the Terre Inconnue Estate (Languedoc) and “Réserve du Pigeonnier” from the Fosse-sèche Estate (Saumur). I also love port: Tawny 40 year-old from the Quinta Do Noval…
What is your favorite food and what wine would you pair it with?
My favorite food is a recipe I make with Tahitian Raw tuna fish, adding ginger, coriander, chive, Chinese cabbage, sugar cane, olive oil and vinegar. I pair this with a white Loire wine: Domaine Melaric, “Billes de roche” 2008 (Saumur Puy Notre Dame).
Editor’s Note: Wines from Domaine de l’Ecu are available to order at the following stores:
If the above stores are unable to ship to your state, we suggest using wine-searcher.com to locate a store near you that carries the wine.