LA PETITE SOEUR
Kumu 2025
Loire, France
This light, bright and vibrant Pineau d’Aunis comes from a young vineyard in Anjou planted over sand and schist. The grapes fermented as whole bunches for just a week, before being pressed to cuve for a short rest. Light, bright and crunchy, this sees the variety at its most immediate, with tart strawberries and pink peppercorn at the fore.
Pineau d’Aunis
ABOUT THE PRODUCER
Originally from Brittany, Adrien de Mello travelled the world following a love of wine before settling in Anjou in 2015. He now farms four hectares of vineyards planted over schist in and around the village of Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné.
The vines have been farmed organically for some time, but since settling here Adrien has taken things to the next level and in just a few years has gained both organic and biodynamic certification. He 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 a startling purity of fruit.
In the cellar Adrien’s work is defined by a lightness of touch that is characterised by gentle extractions to reveal just enough detail and nuance from the grapes, and a focus on expressing the perfume of each variety whilst harnessing the incredible character that schist brings.
Fresh, fragrant and invigorating, Adrien’s wines offer a highly original expression of the part of Anjou he calls home.
Photo: Varda Wine