


Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
Maison Lain De La Treille is located in the heart of Loire Valley since 1885. Vineyards owner and winemaker, Alain De La Treille creates diverse and delicate wines on the most prestigious vineyards with the same passion and aim: Offering the best expression of the French Terroir, keeping the highest respect of land and people. Lionel Métaireau is the winemaker of Maison Alain De La Treille since 2008. He is native of Le Pallet in the Muscadet Vineyard, close to Nantes. Belonging to the 6th generation of his family domain, Lionel is born in the winemaking world. He joined the Maison Alain De La Treille in 2008 with the aim of revealing French varietal grapes with a local and unique style.

A small category representing the wines that either fall outside of appellation lines or don’t subscribe to the law and traditions set forth by the French government within certain classified appellations, “Vin de France” is a catch-all that includes some of the most basic French wines as well as those of superior quality. The category includes large production, value-driven wines. It also includes some that were made with a great deal of creativity, diligence and talent by those who desire to make wine outside of governmental restrictions. These used to be called Vin de Table (table wine) but were renamed to compete with other European countries' wines of similar quality.

Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”