DOMAINE DES LANDIONS
- Tony Lcrx
- Oct 13
- 13 min read
Updated: Oct 14
COMPLETE TASTING NOTES of 2023 (in bottle) & 2024 (barrique sample) + older collection
Vaumarcus, Neuchâtel
PRODUCER OVERVIEW
Morgan Meier represents the new generation of Swiss vignerons who prioritise terroir expression above all else. After training in Burgundy at Domaine Rousseau, he returned to Neuchâtel with a singular vision: to create wines of absolute purity that speak only of place.
Estate Details:
Total vineyard: 20 hectares (10 hectares vinified for estate wines)
Farming: Certified organic across all parcels
Philosophy: One identity, minimal intervention, terroir-driven
Soils: Sandy gravels and yellow Jurassic limestone
Key parcels: Front estate (sandy soils), Clos du Château (limestone slopes)
Range:
Chardonnay "Les Calcaires"
Pinot Noir "Les Cailloutis" (entry-level, immediate pleasure)
Pinot Noir "Les Landions" (estate signature, sandy soils)
Pinot Noir "Le Clos du Château" (flagship, limestone terroir)
Morgan's approach is consistent across vintages: careful clonal and massal selection, organic viticulture, thoughtful oak ageing, and patience. His wines require time to reveal their full complexity, but the wait is always rewarded.
UNDERSTANDING THE VINTAGES
2024 Vintage
A cool, challenging growing season that demanded precise vineyard management. Extended hang time with careful monitoring. The resulting wines show remarkable finesse, vibrant acidity, and crystalline terroir expression. These wines are built for the long term—expect exceptional ageing potential and development.
Vintage character: Tension, precision, mineral clarity, bright acidity
2023 Vintage
Heat, drought, and summer stress defined this vintage across Neuchâtel. Yields were favourable, but ripeness accelerated rapidly, requiring split-second picking decisions. Morgan captured a beautiful balance, preserving freshness despite the warmth. These wines show generosity paired with structure.
Vintage character: Ripe fruit, generous texture, structured yet approachable
2022 Vintage
A warm vintage producing concentrated, powerful wines with ripe fruit profiles and supple structures. Extended hang time without stress.
2020 Vintage
Another warm year with generous fruit expression and softer tannins. Wines show elegance emerging from initial power.
2018 Vintage
Fairly warm with dry growing conditions. Produced wines with ripe fruit character and approachable structure that are now showing beautiful tertiary development.
COMPLETE TASTING NOTES
2024 VINTAGE
Chardonnay "Les Calcaires" 2024
Technical Details:
Vineyard: Single-parcel limestone site
Ageing: 12 months in lightly toasted French oak (with 4-6 months remaining at time of tasting)
Production: Limited
Alcohol: ~13%
Tasting Note:
The 2024 vintage's challenging conditions have paradoxically created remarkable vibrancy in this wine. Delicate citrus and orchard fruits are beautifully framed by well-integrated oak, which adds subtle roundness and length without dominating the wine's inherent freshness. The limestone terroir speaks clearly through precise minerality and elegant structure.
On the nose, there's initial restraint giving way to white peach, lemon zest, and subtle brioche notes from the oak. The palate shows impressive tension—a taut line of acidity carries the wine through a long, saline finish. There's a lovely chalky texture that speaks directly to the limestone bedrock.
This is not a rich, buttery Chardonnay. This is cool-climate expression at its finest—mineral, precise, and built to age.
Optimal Serving:
Temperature: 12-14°C
Decant: 1-2 hours before serving to allow the wine to open
Glassware: Burgundy stem to capture aromatics
Drinking Window: While approachable young, this wine will reward patience. Cellar until 2030-2035 for the full expression of cool-climate Chardonnay at its peak. The structure suggests it could evolve beautifully beyond 2035.
Food Pairing: Slow-cooked Dover sole with confit lemon and spring vegetables would be sublime—the wine's noble texture and citrus character mirror the dish's delicacy. Also excellent with: roasted chicken, grilled turbot, fresh goat cheese, or shellfish in butter sauce.
Collector's Note: This wine represents exceptional value for cool-climate Chardonnay of this quality. The 2024 vintage's freshness and structure suggest this will be one of the long-lived examples from recent years.
Pinot Noir "Les Cailloutis" 2024
Technical Details:
Vineyard: Front estate parcels on sandy soil
