Frédéric Niger
After seeing the Luneau family, shortly to be increased by one as Marie Chartier, Pierre-Marie's wife, is expecting their second child in November (makes sense to augment the picking gang!), we headed just up the road to Fred Niger and Guy Bossard's Domaine de l'Ecu. It is good to see that Fred is bringing a new dynamism to this estate. Most visible are the élèvage jars and the single amphore for creating something similar to the orange wine of Georgia. This is exactly the same type of amphore as I saw at Thierry Michon's Domaine Saint Nicolas last Friday. All part of a delivery of three amphores – Joseph Landron has the other one.
The amphore has to be filled with water before it is used. They are much more water-tight/wine-tight that the élèvage jars show below. These lose 20% of the liquid put into them. With Fred I tasted his 2012 Cabernet Franc aged both in the barrique and jar. The fruit on the barrique sample was much more vivid with more noticeable tannins, while the one from the jar was softer, rounder with more integrated tannins. The final wine will be a blend of the two.
The amphore has to be filled with water before it is used. They are much more water-tight/wine-tight that the élèvage jars show below. These lose 20% of the liquid put into them. With Fred I tasted his 2012 Cabernet Franc aged both in the barrique and jar. The fruit on the barrique sample was much more vivid with more noticeable tannins, while the one from the jar was softer, rounder with more integrated tannins. The final wine will be a blend of the two.
Guy@an underground tank – a feature of wineries in the Pays Nantais
Guy Bossard and the amphore
The élèvage jars
Photo by CRM
2013 Melon
Fred with the cap of the domaine's Pinot Noir
Fermenting Pinot Noir
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