Domaine Mosse, 2013 Update
To my mind there is something of a theme to my recent updates, a common thread that connects them. A sequence of recent articles featuring the latest releases (and sometimes older wines as well) from the likes of Eric Nicolas (my 2013 update, new releases), Richard Leroy (my 2013 update, new releases, but also verticals back to 2005 and 2004) and Mark Angeli (my 2013 update, new releases and some older notes) has not come about by accident; my throwing the spotlight on these domaines before many others reflects my belief that these domaines give us some of the most exciting, dynamic, high quality wines in the entire Loire Valley. It is fair to say, however, that these domaines are all well known, and those in the know – all you Loire geeks out there – already rate them very highly. Recent tastings, however, have suggested to me that Agnes and René Mosse of Domaine Mosse are perhaps working at a level very close to these three aforementioned domaines.
Agnes (pictured below) and René are not exactly unknown figures now being thrust into the limelight of course. They are well know, they and their wines often crop up at tastings focusing on ‘natural’ or low intervention wines such as London’s Real Wine Fair, Millésime Bio and Nicolas Joly’s Renaissance tastings, whether in Angers or elsewhere, so I am sure many in the trade – press, buyers, bloggers and sommeliers – are familiar with them. And the quality of their wines, coupled with their committed organic and biodynamic philosophies in the vineyard and their reluctance to intervene in the cellars makes the wines popular choices for wine lists in venues with a leaning towards ‘natural’, organic or biodynamic wines. René and Agnes are also significant locally; it never ceases to amaze me how often young or aspiring vignerons, turn out to have worked a stage chez Mosse.
More importantly, for the purposes of this review at least, at recent tastings I have been increasingly impressed by the quality presented here; this, for me, is key to any interest I might express about a domaine. I am always very interested in those following more sustainable philosophies, including organics and biodynamics, and those reducing intervention and manipulation in the cellars, but I find the nuances of the methodology uninteresting if the results do not excite. Two tastings over the last twelve months have certainly been invigorating though, and indeed the wines were far and away the most enticing on show from the Loire Valley at the 2013 Real Wine Fair, the annual tasting bash held by popular UK-based wine importer Caves de Pyrene.
Please log in to continue reading: