← Back to Châteaumeillant on the map
Val de Loire · Berry · Red and vin gris

Châteaumeillant — terroir, soils & grape varieties

On the southern edge of the Berry region, Châteaumeillant is the land of "vin gris": a very pale, almost silvery rosé made from gamay. Alongside supple, refined reds, it has built the reputation of this small southern appellation.

The Wine-Growing South of Berry

Across seven communes in the Cher and the Indre, at the foot of the Marche, Châteaumeillant is one of the most southerly appellations in the Loire Valley. Granted AOC status in 2010, it produces mostly red (about three-quarters of output) and its famous "vin gris" (a rosé), with a tiny amount of white.

Terroir and Style

The mostly sandy and sandy-clay siliceous soils, under an oceanic climate with mild winters, give supple, fruity gamay wines. The "vin gris", with its very pale pink hue and faint bluish tinge, obtained by direct pressing, is a summer wine par excellence — for aperitifs, grilled meats and fish — while the reds are fine and easy-drinking.

The grape varieties of Châteaumeillant

Gamay →the king grape — base of the reds and the "vin gris"
Pinot noir & pinot gris →complementary varieties
Buy a Châteaumeillant →
Sources: Wikipédia — Châteaumeillant (AOC)