In the schist hills of Anjou, Adrien de Mello works barely a handful of hectares by horse and hand, making some of the Loire's most uncompromisingly natural wines.
Backstory
Adrien de Mello founded Domaine de la Petite Soeur after a winding path through wine: he worked in Quebec, South Africa, the United States and Chateauneuf-du-Pape, where he made wine for a biodynamic estate, before earning a diploma in Beaune. He settled in the Loire in 2015, taking on vines around the village of Saint-Aubin-de-Luigne that were already farmed without chemicals.
The Region
The estate lies in Anjou, in the Loire Valley, where the vines grow on schist soils in and around Saint-Aubin-de-Luigne. Adrien farms roughly four hectares across this terroir.
Vineyards and Farming
He converted the estate to biodynamics, developing his own decoctions and ploughing with a horse, with which he has built a close working bond. He forages wild plants such as nettle, comfrey, yarrow and buckthorn to make teas and preparations for the vineyards. Planted varieties include Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Winemaking
In the cellar the approach is radically hands-off. The wines ferment spontaneously with wild yeasts and are vinified and aged without added inputs, including no added sulphur. The result is a range of vivid, energetic natural wines, from chenin-based whites to lighter reds, that carry the imprint of the schist and of Adrien's meticulous farming.
