Domaine Mosse 'Magic of Juju' 2022
The Wine
This wine takes its name from Archie Shepp's 1968 song and album, "Magic of Ju-Ju," which a critic hailed as a "tour-de-force," featuring "over eighteen minutes of Shepp's tenacious tenor saxophone amidst a tempest of drums. The energy is unyieldingly frenetic from start to finish." While the music is intense, we find the wine, in contrast, to be quite soothing and relaxing.
Comprising 80% Chenin and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, this blend features organic grapes sourced and harvested in Faye d'Anjou. Direct pressed - with the juice transferred to old wooden barrels (between 10 and 20 years old according to Joseph Mosse) for 7 months when it was bottled.It is a dry, aromatic white wine, characterized by notes of white fruit and a herbaceous quality, culminating in a taut finish with a stimulating bitterness.
The Details
Variety - Chenin Blanc
Country - France
Region - Loire
Sub Region - Faye d'Anjou
Extra - Cork
Year - 2022
Volume - 750ml
About the Wine Maker 
Agnès and René Mosse, together with their sons Joseph and Sylvestre, reside and cultivate their land in the village of St-Lambert-du-Lattay, within the Coteaux-du-Layon region of Anjou. The Layon, a minor tributary of the Loire, meanders through hills rich in schist and sandstone, well-positioned and drained. Its microclimate supports extended grape ripening; foggy, rainless autumn mornings encourage botrytis on the Chenin grapes.
Prior to their winemaking journey, the Mosse family owned a wine bar and retail outlet in Tours. They attribute their inspiration to become vignerons to the esteemed winemakers they encountered there, including Jo Pithon and François Chidaine. The couple pursued studies in viticulture and oenology at the Amboise agricultural school, where they were mentored by Thierry Puzelat (Clos du Tue-Boeuf) and Christian Chaussard (Domaine le Briseau).
Post-graduation, the Mosse family honed their skills for two years in Côte-de Beaune before establishing their domain in St-Lambert in 1999. They manage 17 hectares of vineyards, predominantly Chenin Blanc (9HA) and Cabernet Franc (3HA), with additional plots of Gamay, Chardonnay, Grolleau Gris, and Noir.
From the outset, they embraced organic farming, tilling the soil and applying biodynamic treatments to both vines and earth. In the "Anjou Noir" region, named for its dark slate and volcanic soils, they contend with shallow earth over schist and sandstone, topped with variable clay layers.
For the Mosse family, meticulous vineyard labor is matched by their commitment to natural vinification, with a keen focus on reducing interventions and sulfur usage. Their wines undergo barrel fermentation and aging, with whites typically completing malolactic fermentation. Barrels are replaced as necessary but are selected for age to avoid imparting oak flavors.
