Jo Landron, 2016 Update
Jo Landron needs no introduction. Surely every wine drinker in the world would recognise, within a nanosecond of catching sight of his profile, the identity of this much-loved Nantais vigneron? Loire geeks, meanwhile, would probably recognise him just from a glimpse of his moustache. Maybe even just one hair from his moustache? It is, I happily confess, my favourite moustache of all the great many I have encountered during my many years of writing. Only Jacques Guinaudeau, of Château Lafleur, comes close. I must ask Jo (pictured), when I next see him, if there is any chance they could be related.
Jo Landron’s domaine and wines also need little in the way of introduction. He converted to organics at the turn of the century, with certification in 2002, followed by a shift to biodynamics in 2011. This, and of course the quality of the wines he makes, has led to him developing a strong following, on a par with Domaine de l’Ecu, Pierre Luneau-Papin and the like. It is also a joy to meet up with him to taste, and I did so twice earlier this year. I came with my tasting notebook and my camera. Jo came with his bottles and his moustache.
The Wines
I met up with Jo Landron in February in Angers, in the Loire Valley, and met up again with him in April in London. Some tasting notes from February have already been published in my Muscadet 2015 report. Rather than write these two tastings up separately I have amalgamated them here, and where I tasted the same wine twice (which applies to only a couple of the wines) I have simply condensed my note into one.
