Luneau Papin
2023 Pueri Solis (Vin de France)
Mother rock of schist and micaschist, 100% Selection Massale vines from The Luneau’s most famous plot (les Noëlles, where the Excelsior cuvée comes from, in the village of La Chapelle-Heulin). • Vines planted in 1936! • Spontaneous fermentation, aged in traditional underground glass-lined vats for 16 months on the lees without racking; bottled January 2025. • Serve at 12º with stewed chicken, chanterelles, old Comté or Salers, terrine of Foie gras with cocoa, seared rouget with mashed topinamours and hazelnut oil.
*In 2023 the fruit in this Excelsior vineyard was so rich they decided to bottle it as the special Peuri Solis experimental cuvée that has only existed in three prior vintages, not because they attempted an experimental élevage but instead because the wine drank so rich that it was outside of the normal style expected from acolytes of the Excelsior cuvée.
Region: Pays Nantais, Loire Valley
Appellation: Vin de France
Varietal/Blend: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
ABV: 14.5%
Vineyard & Vine Age: Pueri Solis 2023 comes from the Les Noëlles vineyard in La Chapelle-Heulin, planted in 1936 with massal selection vines—no clones. The plot lies in La Plécisière, on a mother rock of schist and micaschist, offering deep mineral character.
The 2023 vintage was a year of extremes: early warmth, summer rains, and intense heat during harvest. To maintain balance and terroir identity, the team walked the vines often, adjusting their care throughout the season.
Farming is fully natural—no chemicals are used. Biodynamic preparations like horn dung (500) are applied in spring, and horn silica (501) is used before harvest when needed. Vines are pruned in single Guyot and planted at a density of 6,500 per hectare.
In 2023, this parcel suffered significant crop loss, resulting in tiny yields. But with that came intensity—concentrated, expressive juice that makes Pueri Solis 2023 a rare and remarkable wine.
Cellar: Spontaneous fermentation using only natural yeasts. Fermentation and maturation on lees in
underground glass lined vats during 16 months without racking until bottling in january 2025.
CSPC: 129576
Winemakers Note:
Serve at 12°C
Stewed chicken, chanterelles and pine emulsion, old Comté or Salers, terrine of Foie gras
marbled with cocoa, seared rouget with mashed topinamours and haselnut oil, or very simply
as an aperitif !
What the Critics are saying: A cuvée which appears sporadically, as far as I know in just the 2005, 2009 and 2016 vintages so far. The fruit is sourced from the Excelsior vineyard in Goulaine, and this replaces Excelsior in this vintage as Pierre-Marie and Marie thought the harvest was too rich for that cuvée. This is certainly believable, as the aromatics convey a strong sense of richness, with a core of dried citrus fruits. The palate falls in step, with layers of preserved lemon, white chocolate and meringue, but with a beautifully saline streak and layers of minerals for freshness. A stunning example of what can be achieved in this appellation even with such richness and concentration. This is very different to the Pueri Soils cuvées of old, which had less purity and energy than this; having said that, as this warms in the glass it does lose focus, so serving temperature is important here. The alcohol on the label is a rather robust 14.5%. 89/100 (Chris Kissack, Winedoctor, February 2025)
Region: Pays Nantais, Loire Valley
Appellation: Vin de France
Mother rock of schist and micaschist, 100% Selection Massale vines from The Luneau’s most famous plot (les Noëlles, where the Excelsior cuvée comes from, in the village of La Chapelle-Heulin). • Vines planted in 1936! • Spontaneous fermentation, aged in traditional underground glass-lined vats for 16 months on the lees without racking; bottled January 2025. • Serve at 12º with stewed chicken, chanterelles, old Comté or Salers, terrine of Foie gras with cocoa, seared rouget with mashed topinamours and hazelnut oil.
*In 2023 the fruit in this Excelsior vineyard was so rich they decided to bottle it as the special Peuri Solis experimental cuvée that has only existed in three prior vintages, not because they attempted an experimental élevage but instead because the wine drank so rich that it was outside of the normal style expected from acolytes of the Excelsior cuvée.
TECHNICAL INFO
Varietal/Blend: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
ABV: 14.5%
Vineyard: Pueri Solis 2023 comes from the Les Noëlles vineyard in La Chapelle-Heulin, planted in 1936 with massal selection vines—no clones. The plot lies in La Plécisière, on a mother rock of schist and micaschist, offering deep mineral character.
The 2023 vintage was a year of extremes: early warmth, summer rains, and intense heat during harvest. To maintain balance and terroir identity, the team walked the vines often, adjusting their care throughout the season.
Farming is fully natural—no chemicals are used. Biodynamic preparations like horn dung (500) are applied in spring, and horn silica (501) is used before harvest when needed. Vines are pruned in single Guyot and planted at a density of 6,500 per hectare.
In 2023, this parcel suffered significant crop loss, resulting in tiny yields. But with that came intensity—concentrated, expressive juice that makes Pueri Solis 2023 a rare and remarkable wine.
Cellar: Spontaneous fermentation using only natural yeasts. Fermentation and maturation on lees in
underground glass lined vats during 16 months without racking until bottling in january 2025.
CSPC: 129576
Winemakers Note: Serve at 12°C
Stewed chicken, chanterelles and pine emulsion, old Comté or Salers, terrine of Foie gras
marbled with cocoa, seared rouget with mashed topinamours and haselnut oil, or very simply
as an aperitif !
What the Critics are saying: A cuvée which appears sporadically, as far as I know in just the 2005, 2009 and 2016 vintages so far. The fruit is sourced from the Excelsior vineyard in Goulaine, and this replaces Excelsior in this vintage as Pierre-Marie and Marie thought the harvest was too rich for that cuvée. This is certainly believable, as the aromatics convey a strong sense of richness, with a core of dried citrus fruits. The palate falls in step, with layers of preserved lemon, white chocolate and meringue, but with a beautifully saline streak and layers of minerals for freshness. A stunning example of what can be achieved in this appellation even with such richness and concentration. This is very different to the Pueri Soils cuvées of old, which had less purity and energy than this; having said that, as this warms in the glass it does lose focus, so serving temperature is important here. The alcohol on the label is a rather robust 14.5%. 89/100 (Chris Kissack, Winedoctor, February 2025)
Giovanni Autuori
Calgary + Alberta South
T: 403-971-1898
E: giovanni@vinoalvino.ca
Joe Gurba
Edmonton + Alberta North
T: 780-203-5284
E: joeg@vinoalvino.ca
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TECHNICAL INFO
Country: France
Region: Pays Nantais, Loire Valley
Appellation: Vin de France
Climate:
Altitude:
Soils:
Varietal/Blend: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
Fermentation: Spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in old oak puncheons.
Ageing:
Vineyard & Vine Age: Bull Swamp and Manilla vineyards in Baw Baw Shire. The vines were planted in 1961 and and 1964 respectively.
ABV: 14.5%
Produced Cases: 50
CSPC: 129576
Calgary + Alberta South
Andrew Stewart
403-604-0408
andrew@vinoalvino.ca
Edmonton + Alberta North
Joe Gurba
780-203-5284
joe@vinoalvino.ca
Saskatoon + Saskatchewan South
Kerrie Gavin
306-290-0277
kerrie@vinoalvino.ca
