It has been a while, but we are very happy to be sharing a whole bunch of new releases from Adrien de Mello of La Petite Soeur.
Since 2015 Adrien has farmed four hectares of old vineyards planted over a thick band of schist in and around the village of Saint Aubin de Luigné. The vines have been farmed organically for some time, but since settling here he has taken things to the next level and in just a few years has gained both organic and biodynamic certification.
Adrien ploughs by horse and is passionate about foraging wild plants such as nettle, comfrey, yarrow and buckthorn to prepare teas to be used in the vineyards. His care and attention to detail here produce wines with great clarity and purity of fruit.
In the cellar his work is defined by a lightness of touch, which is characterised by infusions to extract just enough detail and nuance from the grapes and a focus on expressing the perfume of each variety whilst harnessing the unique characteristics brought by schist. Fresh, fragrant and invigorating, Adrien’s wines offer a highly original expression of the part of Anjou he calls home.
These wines all come from the 2022 vintage, a year in which a warm, dry growing season provided a welcome break from any major issues with disease in the vineyards. Adrien was able to harvest plenty of grapes and there is a pleasant ripeness, density and balance to the fruit on display here. Whilst already very much open and expressive, they will evolve beautifully over the coming years.
Adrien’s wines are now available on Tutto a Casa