Now working alone at the head of this 36-hectare estate in Sancerrois, Alphonse Mellot Junior and his sister Emmanuelle cultivate the taste of great wines made with biodynamic methods and minimum yields, achieveing optimal ripeness and an almost obsessive search for perfection.

They also own 18 hectares in Coteaux de la Charité.

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This majestic river links various wine-growing sub-regions that go to make up the overall appellation, from the Massif Central to the Atlantic.

The Loire region extends over almost 1000 km and there are 4 sub-regions: Nantes, Anjou, Touraine and the Centre. There are 68 Appellations d’Origine Contrôlée.

Altogether, there are 65,000 hectares producing nearly 3,0000,000 hl of wine on average each year, of which 45% are whites, 22% rosés, 21% reds and 12% sparking wines.

The areas planted with vines stretch far and wide, with a number of different climatic influences, oceanic in the West, becoming more continental the further you get from the ocean.

Three words characterise these wines: diversity, quality and affordability.

Diversity, because the whites range from the driest to the sweetest, while the reds can be fruity or mineral.

Quality, thanks to the emergence of young, talented vignerons, coupled to a significant improvement in winemaking techniques.

Affordable, because there are some amazing quality-price-pleasure ratios to be found.

The main grape types for whites are melon and gros-plant around Nantes, chenin in Anjou and western Touraine, sauvignon in eastern Touraine and in the Centre.

The principal grapes used for making reds are gamay, cabernet franc and sauvignon, pinot noir and côt (or malbec).