The Pellé family has been making beautifully crafted, terroir driven sauvignons for four generations. The estate lies in Morogues, a small village nestled between Menetou-Salon and Sancerre, at the eastern end of the Loire Valley. In 1981 Henry Pellé and son Éric bottled their first single vineyard wine: Les Blanchais. A wine defined by terroir, not by its ageing. The family were making wines this way long before others were routinely doing the same.
Tragically, Eric Pellé died in an accident in 1995, and Julien Zernott, an oenology graduate looked after the estate until Eric’s son Paul-Henry took over in 2007, aged just 22. Determined to follow in the family footsteps, he trained with and worked for some of the best, including Olivier Lamy and Benjamin Leroux.
He credits Olivier Lamy in helping him understand the identity of individual terroirs and Benjamin Leroux for teaching him the importance of respecting and working the soil, and the overall impact this has on the resulting wines. No weed killer, chemical insecticides or anti-rot products have been used since 2007 and the estate was certified organic in 2020. Quality has indeed soared with the progressive work in both the vineyard and the winery, and Paul-Henry’s aim for each wine to represents the vintage and terroir is certainly being achieved.
Available Wines
Les Bornés means ‘clay soil’ in the local dialect (Berrichon). Vines used for this wine are on average 25 years old. It’s made with a mix of parcels but they are all vinified separately to allow the expression of their individual terroirs (all from the village of Morogues) Grapes are pressed as soon as they reach the winery, with fermentation taking place in stainless steel tanks. It is aged on the lees to give body and richness. The nose is pure Menetou-Salon; blackcurrant leaf and white peach, opening to some lime notes and… The palate is rich and full but with plenty of citrus punch, and a core of minerality. A long, lingering honeyed finish.
