Domaine La Croix Mélier - Les Outardes 2017 (demi-sec)

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

This off-dry wine comes from a vineyard plot where great bustards—those large birds—have chosen to nest every year for ages. As for the wine, it is a golden Montlouis with green highlights and an expressive nose, blending floral, fruity, and woody notes from the fermentation barrels. These aromas are accompanied by candied lemon and a hint of bitterness on the finish, resulting in a well-balanced palate.

About the estate:

After studying at the “Viti” in Beaune and spending two years at La Croix Mélier while continuing to work part-time as an actor, Philippe Ivancic took over in 2017 from Pascal Berthelot and his 12.5 hectares of vineyards (certified organic since 2022), which he now cultivates with his wife Dominique.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

Montlouis-sur-Loire is the land that gives rise to fascinating Chenin wines in all their forms—sparkling, dry, delicate, or sweet. It is here that Philippe Weiss and Dominique Ivancic, who switched careers to become winemakers, chose to launch their venture. He was an actor in Paris; she worked in microcredit development. After training at the Beaune wine school, they settled in Montlouis in 2017, a year marked by a devastating frost. But the couple kept the faith and, with great enthusiasm, determination, and hard work, converted the vineyards to organic farming. From the moment they arrived, they produced honest, straightforward whites, whose rough edges form the basis of their charm, and which possess a freedom of expression without decadence.