The tradition began in 1886 with Alcide Monmousseau who founded a merchant wine house in Montrichard. He rapidly discovered one of the most important tuffeau-stone quarries in Touraine that turned out to be the perfect place for the production of wines according to the Méthode Traditionnelle. Abandoned after being used to extract stone for the construction of the Loire’s royal castles (Chenonceau, Chambord…), this quarry provided Alcide with one of the most fantastic caves that a wine enthusiast could dream of: a network of 15 km of sound and solid galleries.
He was succeeded by his nephew, Justin-Marcel, who developed the notoriety of Monmousseau across national borders in Europe and Asia. The wines were notably served at the dining room table of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and were even mentioned in Japanese literature (The Drops of God).
Touraine’s different soil types and grape varieties, such as Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, allow the house to produce wines boasting wonderful diversity and a character of their own, sublimated by traditional ageing on laths. The wines are very expressive, lively and fresh, resulting from the willingness to work solely with small blends. Winemaking is a real work of craftsmanship. Each and every new harvest, the house’s oenologist Thomas Ragot, tailors the winemaking through to the final note. When it comes to each new wine, the liqueur is fine-tuned to guarantee the sought after profile, all the while allowing the terroir to fully express itself.
