Region: France
Appellation: Loire
Color/Style: Sparkling
Grapes: Chenin Blanc, Pineau d'Aunis

Notes
Ariane Lesné started working in wine since the early 1990s taking on many different roles. She worked in retail, distribution, and even had a stint at the renowned Domaine de l’Arlot, in Nuits St. Georges. She fell in love with Pineau d’aunis during her time working in Paris, as the varietal reminded her of great Pinot Noirs, but with elevated aromatics involved. Hence, at the beginning of 2014, Ariane learned that Emile Héredia, the owner of Domaine de Montrieux was selling the estate. Emile Héredia started Domaine de Montrieux in 1999 with several high-quality parcels featuring many old vines rooted in unique terroirs in Coteaux de Vendômois, an underdog appellation in the Loir and Cher department in the Loir Valley. She did not think twice about it, and by harvest time she was living on the estate, ultimately taking over by the spring of 2015.

When she first took over the domaine, the property was planted to 7.5 hectares, but after consecutive years of losses due to mildew and frost, she decided to uproot some vines replanting them into new parcels in 2018. The estate now has a little over 6 hectares of vines planted where Ariane is crafting some of the most approachable and exciting wines in the region, not to mention her creative and artful labels illustrated by an artist friend of hers.