Luneau Papin

Muscadet Sèvre et Maine

Domaine Luneau Papin is the leading producer of single-vineyard, terroir-driven, long-ageing Muscadet. Their bottles have graced the wine lists of the world’s best restaurants vintage after vintage (Paul Bocuse anyone?). Pierre-Marie Luneau is the 9th generation in his family to grow that mystical Nantais grape: Melon de Bourgogne. In 2008 he was joined by his wife Marie Chartier. Together they farm 35 hectares in the heart of Muscadet Sèvre et Maine. 

Luneau Papin, formerly known as Domaine Pierre de la Grange before Pierre Luneau married Monique Papin of Domaine Papin and combinedthe two estates, has been in existence since the early 18th century, growing Melon since day one. They remain one of the most revered names in the Loire Valley. Who else in Muscadet can boast of a 99 point wine?

Pierre & Monique were among the first producers to bottle single parcel representations of Melon de Bourgogne, highlighting the various soils and micro-climates of the region, eschewing clonal selection for the patience and diversity of selection massale. 

Luneau Papin makes their wines with the lightest touch. They forego the use of oak in all but their Folle Blanche—a fascinating varietal in its own rite—to preserve the fidelity of each terroir through indigenous ferments in underground glass tiled vats (traditional for the region). Extended lees ageing—duration decided vintage by vintage according to the arc of the fruit and fermentation—give these wines a glorious texture and round profile to meet their dazzling acidity. You’d be hard pressed to find a better option for crab and lobster dishes.

Luneau Papin was also visionary in their decision to hold back and cellar large portions of each vintage, releasing the wines years later to demonstrate the potential for aging in this underappreciated varietal. Back vintages of the estate’s countless old vines, beautiful farming, and centenarian plots and monopoles are available in limited numbers: L’d’Or from vines planted on granite, Les Pierres Blanches from vines on gneiss, the Clos des Allées monopole from vines on mica schist, and Excelsior from the schists of their hallowed Goulaine Cru vineyards, in the family possession since the 17th century (by the 1990’s, enough likeminded producers had emerged in Muscadet to band together to begin the long and tiring process of classifying and having approved individual cru for Melon de Bourgogne, their first being Goulaine).

In 2008, just as Pierre & Monique were passing the baton to Pierre-Marie & Marie, the domaine also made the leap to biodynamic farming. The quality of the wines has only increased. Pierre-Marie also brought home a wealth of knowledge from his time spent working in numerous French and new world wineries from 2001 to 2005, collecting a deeper and broader wine education. Today he carries on the domaine’s tradition of elevating and privileging Melon de Bourgogne with a Burgundian degree of attention and site specificity that inspires and excites wine lovers around the world.

JancisRobinson.com Wine of the Week: Luneau-Papin, L d'Or 2020

Richard Hemming MW • Jan 21, 2022