THE DOMAINE :
Domaine Luneau-Papin : our philosophy
Our range of wines – Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Goulaine, and Gros Plant du Pays Nantais – tell the history of each parcel of vines and the influence of the vintages through the centuries as well greeting the rising sun every day with love, joy and confidence. Our grape varieties – Melon de Bourgogne and Folle Blanche – reflect the diversity of the terroirs (granite, mica schist, peridotite-serpentinite, gneiss and quartz) in which these varieties have been planted by past generations and will be by those to come.
Precision and attention to detail, both in the vineyard and winery, is our daily mantra.
Our domaine is entirely organic and biodynamic.
The history of our domaine
Two wine families
united by love
The domaine Luneau-Papin was born in the 1990s through a love story – that between Pierre Luneau and Monique Papin.
Pierre took over from his parents – Denise and Pierre – vignerons in the commune of Le Landreau, while Monique took up the torch of running the family wine estate in Chapelle-Heulin from her mother Jeannette and father Auguste Papin.
Pierre and Monique share the same passion – a love for Melon de Bourgogne, the region’s historic grape variety. Starting at the end of the 1970s they started to promote the unique qualities of their single vineyard parcels emphasising that there isn’t just one Muscadet but many different ones. They launched three single vineyard wines : L’d’Or from vines planted on granite, Les Pierres Blanches from vines on gneiss and the Clos des Allées from vines on mica schist. The vines in all three parcels are from the Luneau family’s own plant stock rather than anonymous clonal material.
Handing on to the next generation/ Passing the baton to the next generation
Throughout their career Monique and Pierre were able to find distributors and importers around the world, who loved Muscadet, even though neither of them spoke a word of English! Instead what counted was true principles and the bonds that unit wine lovers. Very conscious of the culture of the vine and the history of the family’s vineyards dating back from 17th century Pierre and Monique created the Cuvée Excelsior, which is also called Schists de Goulaine.
It was a handful of Muscadet producers who started the long process of creating the Crus Communaux – top tier of Muscadets that spend a long time on their lees give them additional complexity. 2001 was the first vintage of Excelsior from a plot in La Plécissière planted by Monique’s parents in 1936.
Through all the vintages of Monique and Pierre the Latin Semper Excelsior meaning ‘higher and higher’, was their guiding principle in the vineyard, winery and in relations with their clientele.
In 2005 Pierre-Marie returned to the domaine bringing his experience working internationally both in vineyards and wineries. Then in 2008, me, Marie, his wife joined the adventure and took charge of the commercial side, marketing and communication.
In 2018 Pierre and Monique retired and stepped back from the family estate. We have had the good fortune of building on the foundations they laid down allowing us to develop our own projects and realise our dreams. Monique and Pierre’s personalities are inextricably associated with the Domaine Luneau-Papin. They have preserved and perpetuated the centuries-old traditions of these two families of vignerons in Muscadet Sèvre et Maine.
heritage
The importance of a team philosophy
Pierre-Marie
“It is great honour but also a big responsibility to be the ninth generation of two wine-making families – Luneau-Papin – united by marriage. It is a wonderful challenge to continue the traditions but also to innovate and take our domaine to the next level. Between 2001 and 2005 I learned much and gained very valuable experience working for different domaines both in France and elsewhere in the world. On my return in In 2005 I could have set my own micro-domaine but the lure of coming home and helping my parents was too strong.
Life can be a joyous and intoxicating whirlwind for those, who are able to grow essential wings.
I have built vintage by vintage, stone by stone my place as a wine-maker amongst the diversity of nature. The vine and the wine are fantastic tools for connecting with oneself, with others, with plants and with the stars. The path is infinite with endless possibilities.’
Marie
I am very attached to life’s daily patterns and its diversity. I have worked in a number different professions all in non-essential sectors. The common factor was that they all brought joy and customer satisfaction. I love and seek out the strength that comes from diversity.
Through his vines and the wines made by his family Pierre-Marie gave me roots and I play a real role in his daily decisions. Even today this is a luxury for a woman who has not been brought up in the world of wine. When I arrived in 2008 Pierre-Marie asked me to give fresh impetus to his parents’ domaine, which has since become ours. At the time I did not fully appreciate the force of life.
Since then every day I have participated in all the facets of our farming profession. I profoundly believe in strength and the unlimited beauty of the work of vignerons across the generations. Opening a bottle of wine is not just restricted to sharing a moment of joy with close family and friends.
Since taking over in 2008 Pierre-Marie and Marie have built a cheerful, supportive and professional team that fully understands and shares our philosophy and is dedicated to our projects. The change to organic viticulture, started in 2008, has strengthened our links with our team through understanding and accepting the way that we work.
Share your tasting moments!
MUSCADET SÈVRE & MAINE – GOULAINE – GROS PLANT DU PAYS NANTAIS
contact@domaineluneaupapin.com
Phone: +33(0)2 40 06 45 27
3, La Grange – 44 430 Le Landreau – FRANCE
