Le Clos de la Meslerie, 2018 Update
Nestled on the edge of the limestone plateau, not too far from the town of Vernou-sur-Brenne, is Le Clos de la Meslerie. The clos, defined by extensive hedging rather than walls, sits on a little promontory of land surrounded on three sides by the Vallée de Cousse, the Vallée de Vaugondy and of course the broad, low-lying land of the valley of the Brenne. The vines held within enjoy a privileged position, being exposed to plenty of sunshine as well as the freshening breezes which blow over the plateau.
The vineyard has been in the hands of Peter Hahn (pictured above) since 2002, although he did not really take control of the vines until 2007. He turned the entire vineyard over to organic viticulture, works the soils sometimes using horse-drawn plough (and sometimes a tractor), and he picks by hand. The harvest all goes into a single cuvée, the style of which is of course partly down to Peter’s philosophies, and partly down to the vintage. In more difficult years, such as 2013, the residual sugar may be as low as 5 g/l, while in warmer vintages the wine moves confidently into moelleux territory, as I discovered in this short tasting. It is an admirable approach, the wines a genuine expression of the vineyard and the appellation.
Please log in to continue reading: