Muscadet is an area where, unfortunately, a lot of undistinguished bulk wine is produced. Because of the size of their estate, and of the privileged terroir of the villages of Le Landreau, Vallet and La Chapelle Heulin, the Luneau family has opted for producing smaller cuvées from their several plots, which are always vinified separately so as to reflect their terroir’s particular character. The soil is mainly micaschist and gneiss, but some plots are a mix of silica, volcanic rocks and schist. The estate has a high proportion of old vines, 40 years old on average, up to 65 years of age.

The harvest is done by hand -also a rarity in the region- to avoid any oxidation before pressing. There is an immediate light débourbage (separation of juice from gross lees), then a 4-week fermentation at 68 degrees, followed by 6 months of aging in stainless-steel vats on fine lees. This is the classic Muscadet-sur-lie process, where the wine is kept on its lees, with a fair amount of CO2 as protection, until bottling in the spring following the harvest. The only modern technique used here is macération pelliculaire (maceration of lightly crushed berries before pressing), which varies in proportion according to the cuvées.

Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine "Pierres Blanches":
Soil: Schist
Grape: Melon de Bourgogne
Exposition: South West
Vines: Old vines of more 55 years old.
Name of vineyard "Les Pierres Blanches"
Vinification: Grapes picked by hand, pressed in a pneumatic press. Cold clarification of grape juice, then temperature controlled fermentation at 20° for several weeks using only indigenous yeasts. The wine is moved by gravity to underground vats lined with glass tiles. These vats are very typical of the Nantes region.The wine stays on its lees (Sur Lie) for nine months until it is bottled.

A.O.C Muscadet Sèvre & Maine "Excelsior":
Soil: Michaschist on schist
Grape: Melon de Bourgogne
Exposition: Full south
Vines: Single parcel of 75 year old "sélection massale" vines.
Vinification: Grapes crushed by a pneumatic press. Must is transferred by gravity into small underground tanks covered with glass tiles. Slow alcoholic fermentation for several weeks thermo-regulated at 20 °C. Left on the lees for 36 months with regular bâtonnage.

A.O.C Muscadet Sèvre & Maine "Clos Des Allées":
Soil: Michaschist
Grape: Melon de Bourgogne
Exposition: Full south
Vines: 45+ year old vines
Vinification: Grapes are crushed by pneumatic press. Débourbage and vinification thermo-regulated at 20°C. Fermentation and aging on the lees for 7 months in small underground tanks covered with glass tiles. Bottled in the spring.

A.O.C Muscadet Sèvre & Maine "Le L D'Or":
Soil: Granite and gneiss
Grape: Melon de Bourgogne
Vines: 45+ years old
Vinification: Aged on the lees 9 to 11 months before bottling. Regular bâtonnage after fermentation for suspension of the lees. No racking before bottling.

A.O.C Muscadet Sèvre & Maine "Pueri Solis":
Soil: schist and michaschist
Grape: Melon de Bourgogne
Vines: 45+ years old
Exposition: South west
Vinification: Grapes are crushed by pneumatic press. Cold débourbage then slow fermentation thermo-regulated at 20°C. Aged 42 months on the lees with regular bâtonnage in small underground tanks covered with glass tiles.

A.O.C Muscadet Sèvre & Maine "Terre de Pierre":
Soil: Decomposed serpentinite. This terroir is a geographical landmark; its' magmatic origin dates back to more than 500 million years.
Grape: Melon de Bourgogne
Vines: 37 years old
Vinification: Grapes are crushed by pneumatic press. Must is transferred by gravity into underground tanks covered in glass tiles. Wine ferments and ages on the lees for 12 months.
Regular bâtonnage, then aged in wood vats without racking for 8 months.