Domaine l'Ecu
The vineyards of Domaine de l'Ecu in the Loire and the Rhone have been certified organic by Ecocert for over 40 years and certified biodynamic by Demeter for over 20 years. There are a series of non-negotiable "house rules" that apply to all the wines at Domaine de L'Ecu: biodiversity in the vineyards, low yields, harvesting by hand, fermentation with indigenous yeast, no pumping or racking of the must (only gravity), and minimal use of sulfur. Under the direction of dynamo Fred Niger, who purchased the property from legendary farmer Guy Bossard, the domaine has maintained its reputation as a top grower of terroir-transparent, age-worthy wines, and has evolved and expanded into new realms with its extensive line Vin de France varietal wines aged in a combination of amphora and barrel, and sometimes amphora alone.