Structure

Bodymedium
Tanninlow
Acidityhigh
Sweetnessdry
Finishlong
Oaknone or neutral

Drinking window

Latest scored vintage 2019: best 2021 to 2034.
vintage2 yrs15 yrs17 yrs

Critic scores

CriticVintageScore
Decanter reviewed 2022201992/100

Scores as published by each critic for the vintage shown.

In the glass

Medium-bodiedLow tanninHigh acidityDryLong finish

Aroma: herbal lift, lemon zest, white flower, wet stone

Palate: citrus, stony mineral, bitter pith, saline finish

Single-soil Muscadet from orthogneiss parcels. Adds herbal aromas layered with more minerality and bitterness in the finish, distinct from the simpler Gneiss bottling.

What it pairs with

  • Mussels marinière
    Saline finish and shellfish broth lock together; stony mineral handles cream-shallot sauce.
  • Sole grenobloise
    Caper-and-lemon brown butter sauce meets the wine's citrus drive and stony lift.
  • Oysters Rockefeller
    Baked oysters with spinach and breadcrumb find the wine's herbal aromatics and saline lift.
  • Salt-baked turbot
    Firm-fleshed fish in salt crust meets the wine's stony mineral and herbal lift.

History

Orthogneiss is a metamorphic rock distinct from gneiss; the estate's parcels of this soil produce more herbal, complex Muscadet. Bossard's three-soil project (Gneiss, Orthogneiss, Granite) established the modern terroir-Muscadet concept.

  1. 1989: First single-soil terroir Muscadets bottled by Guy Bossard

Facts

Producer
Domaine de l'Écu · visiting guide
Grapes
Melon de Bourgogne (100%)
Classification
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC
Oak
Vinified and aged on lees in underground glass-lined vats, no oak, around 12 months
ABV
12.0%
Price
EUR 22 to 32 at retail
Drinking window
2-15 from vintage
First vintage
1989
Biodynamic
Demeter Certified
Organic
DEMETER
Vegan
Yes (no animal-derived fining)

Frequently asked about Expression d'Orthogneiss

What does l'Écu Orthogneiss taste like?

Herbal lift, lemon zest, white flower and wet stone on the nose; citrus, stony mineral, bitter pith and saline finish on the palate. Medium-bodied with high acidity and a long stony finish.

When should I drink l'Écu Orthogneiss?

Drink between 2 and 15 years from vintage. The orthogneiss soils give the wine ageing capacity unusual for Muscadet; mature bottles develop honey and waxy texture.

Where is Orthogneiss grown?

On orthogneiss soils within the estate's Muscadet Sèvre et Maine holdings. Orthogneiss is a metamorphic rock distinct from gneiss.

Is l'Écu Orthogneiss vegan?

Yes. The estate is Demeter-certified biodynamic since 1992 and uses no animal-derived fining agents.

Tags

biodynamic biodynamic certified dry high acid medium body medium term melon de bourgogne mood elegant mood refreshing mood savoury occasion aperitivo occasion dinner party occasion weeknight old world organic pairs with oysters pairs with shellfish pairs with vegetable forward pairs with white fish price trade up single vineyard still white vegan

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