In factual terms, Le Clos de la Meslerie is a wine-making estate in the Vouvray Appellation of France, in the Loire Valley about 15km from the city of Tours. The wine is natural, the grapes are organic. The property itself dates from the early 1600’s and grapes have been grown on the estate for centuries. The vines from which the wine is made today range from 20 to 60 years of age. But winemaking, like most creative endeavors, is about much more than the facts.
In somewhat more poetic terms, le Clos de la Meslerie is about a personal journey. I purchased le Clos de la Meslerie in 2002 after an early career in the worlds of strategic consulting and finance. I connected with a desire which had been sitting dormant within me to get back to the land and nature: to work with my hands and body in addition to my brain and to create something tangible, unique and lasting. Of course, I had been a wine-lover for most of my adult life, and living in France pushed open the doors to this fascinating labyrinth of passion, creativity, and diversity.
It seemed to me back then, and I am even more convinced now, that there is profound truth in the cliché of good friends, good food and good wine being the best balm for the soul. The organic, natural food movement goes hand in hand with the natural wine movement. I am now an enthusiastic participant in this cause, however modest my contribution and however humble I remain before the tasks at hand.
Welcome to the site. Please feel free to contact me, to stop by the vineyard to poke around, chat, taste from the barrels…. or just share a bottle of our wine with friends if the fancy takes you. It is always a pleasure to share a little bit of the magic of this place with someone new.
Peter Hahn