Four generations on the banks of the Sèvre Nantaise
Domaine Martin Luneau is located in the hamlet of Le Magasin in Gorges, on the right bank of the Sèvre Nantaise, in the middle of the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine. The business was founded in 1944 and has remained in family hands ever since. In 1991, twin brothers Christophe and Thierry Martin Luneau took over the family winery and are now running it in the fourth generation.
Around 32 hectares of vines are spread across the three municipalities of Gorges, Clisson and Mouzillon. This diversity of terroir forms the basis for a range that is aged separately according to site and soil type, rather than blending everything into a single uniform cuvée.
Gabbro soil, organic control and long lees aging
In the vineyard, the brothers rely on lutte raisonnée: soil cultivation instead of blanket herbicide use and pheromone traps (organic control) against pests instead of calendar-based insecticides. The company is organized as an independent Vigneron Indépendant and carries the Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) environmental label; in the cellar, careful selection and aging on the fine lees are prioritized.
The subsoil of Gorges is particularly distinctive: gabbro, a dark volcanic rock that gives the wines of this site their mineral signature. For the Cru Gorges made from old vines, the wine matures in underground, enameled tanks – for several years in the case of some cuvées – which concentrates the aromas and gives the wine aging potential.
From Cru Gorges to Pétillant – the spectrum of the Nantais
At the center of the range is the Melon grape: classic Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie as well as the two communal appellations Cru Gorges and Cru Clisson, two of the first of their kind in the Nantes wine region. In addition, the Domaine produces Gros Plant as well as white, rosé and red wines from Folle Blanche, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Gamay and Pinot Noir, plus Pétillants made using traditional bottle fermentation.
Tastings describe the house's wines as lively and typical of their origin: light color with greenish reflections, notes of citrus fruit and white flowers, carried by a clear mineral line. The range has been listed in the Guide Hachette des Vins and the Revue des Vins de France for years; in 2022, the traditional Muscadet vintage 2021 received a gold medal in Paris. Serving temperature around 10 °C goes well with mussels, white fish or as an uncomplicated aperitif.
