Château Melin

Anecdotes from the Estate: Being a winemaker is about the long-term vision of our work. A vine is planted for a few years, for the production of a very specific wine. My passion for wine was passed down to me by many people, by my family and friends. Many wines are simply irresistible, and enjoying them with a good meal is even better! A Little History of the Estate: In 1948, René Debacque bought the vineyard. A winegrower and cattle breeder, and a great wine lover, he later devoted himself solely to wine production. His son, Vincent, took over the estate with his father, and then his grandson, Thomas, followed the same path. We remain deeply attached to the place where we grew up. It goes even further than that, because our estate is a family story—long may it continue! For my part, I've always been interested in wine; I've been immersed in it since I was a child. Today, we must adapt and question ourselves daily without necessarily following certain trends. We must listen to the consumer and strive for progress, particularly in the environmental field. The pride of the Château Mélin estate is that it is a family-run vineyard. Our terroir is particularly warm and early-ripening. On the one hand, the gravelly soil absorbs heat, and on the other hand, the Dordogne River regulates and limits the temperature drop at night. The deep soil is exceptionally well-drained, and therefore prone to water stress in dry years. Cover cropping is therefore discouraged, except in a few rainy years. Our soils are rather poor because they lack the clay-humus complex to revitalize and nourish them. We only add organic and plant matter. The Saint-Émilion appellation encompasses a variety of terroirs. Many vines are cultivated on plains or sandy-gravelly plateaus. We are generally the first to harvest in the Libournais region. Our urban vineyard is very early-ripening. We must avoid over-ripening, as we can end up with a wine approaching 17% alcohol!