Domaine Luneau-Papin : Vera Cruz 2024

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Vera Cruz 2024 from Domaine Luneau-Papin

Tasting

Colour
This white wine displays a pale, luminous yellow hue, enhanced by delicate green highlights.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet is rich and nuanced. It releases citrus scents such as kumquat and bergamot, intertwined with notes of Williams pear and almond blossom. A touch of white pepper, iodine-laden aromas and a minerality reminiscent of smoky granite complete the picture.

Palate
The attack reveals a creamy and particularly sapid texture. Driven by fine energy and delicate acidity, the palate delivers a crystalline, mouthwatering and deeply saline finish.

Food and wine pairing

This cuvée pairs beautifully with seafood, such as a mackerel and sea bream tartare, lightly seared langoustines or pan-fried scallops with citrus. It also makes an excellent match for green vegetable risottos, grilled white poultry and fresh goat's cheeses.

Serving and cellaring

To fully appreciate the Vera Cruz 2024, it is best served at 12°C. This age-worthy wine can be enjoyed now or cellared until around 2034.

Biodynamic excellence in Muscadet at Domaine Luneau-Papin

The estate

Located in Le Landreau, in the Loire Valley, Domaine Luneau-Papin was officially founded in 1990, born of the union between Pierre Luneau and Monique Papin. Today, the estate is brilliantly run by Pierre-Marie Luneau and his partner Marie. This 27-hectare vineyard stands out for its rigorous plot-by-plot approach and its deep commitment to biodynamics. Renowned for its extended ageing on lees, the estate has established itself as an essential benchmark, revealing the full complexity and ageing potential of the region's great wines.

The vineyard

Located within the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation, the registered plot known as Vera Cruz lies in the commune of Vallet. Facing due south, these old vines planted in 1974 thrive on a terroir of mica schist and two-mica gneiss. The vineyard is farmed according to organic and biodynamic principles, with a density of 6,500 vines per hectare and short single Guyot pruning designed to respect the flow of sap.

The vintage

The 2024 vintage in the Loire was shaped by particularly challenging weather conditions, with continuous rain beginning in late October 2023 and persisting throughout the growing season. This high humidity led to intense fungal disease pressure, requiring relentless work in the vineyard. Although the harvest was halved, the grapes that were saved show fine concentration.

Vinification and ageing

The grapes are harvested by hand, with rigorous sorting in the vineyard. The whole bunches undergo gentle pneumatic pressing. Alcoholic fermentation of the Vera Cruz 2024 begins spontaneously thanks to indigenous yeasts. The wine is then aged for fourteen months on its fine lees, without any racking, in underground concrete vats lined with glass tiles, before being bottled in November 2025.

Grape variety

100% Melon de Bourgogne