Les Pierres Ecrites

About

Owner & winemaker: Coralie & Anthony Rassin
Vineyards: 8ha (5ha in Montlouis and 3ha in Touraine)
Vineyard management: Practicing organic, working towards certification
Soils: Limestone clay with silex and varying amounts of sand
Grapes grown: Chenin Blanc, Gamay, Malbec, Grolleau, Cabernet Franc
Annual production: 14,000 bottles

Quick facts:

• The name “Les Pierres Ecrites” is a nod to the previous owner, who was a famous archaeologist of prehistoric drawings on stones in North Africa.
• Coralie and Anthony worked as winemakers in other parts of France and abroad for ten years before returning home to start their own estate.

Coralie and Anthony Rassin are originally from the Loire Valley, but they worked in various regions in France and abroad before settling in Montlouis in 2015 to put their experience to use.

They farm their 8ha of vines in and around the Montlouis-sur-Loire appellation entirely by hand, and without using any chemicals. They plant grass in every other row, and are in the process of adapting their pruning methods to let the sap flow more evenly, in order to put less stress on the vines and reduce the risk of disease. Coralie and Anthony have also planted shrubs and trees around the vineyards to ensure a balanced natural environment. In the cellar, fermentation occurs spontaneously with native yeasts and minimal sulfur is used. Malolactic fermentation often does not occur due to the low pH of the wines. They expect to gain their organic certification in 2023.