Mark Angeli
Celebrated biodynamic vigneron Mark Angeli and his wife Christine arrived at Domaine de la Sansonnière in 1990 having moved from Aix-en-Provence. He studied stonemasonry but was always interested in winemaking. He trained in Sauternes and began farming his 12-hectare estate biodynamically after his friendship with Nicolas Joly blossomed.
Although Mark's vine holdings lie firmly within the appellation boundaries of Anjou, he has decided to demote all of his wines to humble 'Vin de Table' status in protest against the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine's failure to reduce the use of pesticides and decrease permitted grape yields.
The Angelis try to be as self-sufficient as possible, and 4 hectares of their estate are given to non-wine crops - with a small herd of cows for compost, meat and milk for cheese, bees for honey and a vegetable patch.
