Château de Coulaine

History

A veritable monument in Chinon, Château de Coulaine owes its fame to its history, which dates back to... 1300 ! Several documents attest to the fact that wine was produced here in the 14th century. In those days, vines were already being grown, even if the property property we know today had not yet emerged from the ground. Several successive owners, starting with the Le Boucher family, Garguesalles, Denys de Bonnaventure and Kerros. They passed on their knowledge of the vine and how to grow it and how to make wine.

The château was built shortly after the first traces of vines were discovered. In 1470, Jehan de Garguesalles, then governor of the city of Chinon and Grand Ecuyer de France, had the château built. He lived in the building for many years then built a chapel (which still exists today).

Chinon wines became increasingly well known in the Loire region, and Château de Coulaine was no exception. no exception. The estate was mentioned by François Rabelais in 1534 when he wrote his book Gargantua. Indeed, Chinon served as the backdrop for his story, and he inevitably included details such as the Château de Coulaine.

Unfortunately, a sad apparition would push the vineyards into a difficult period: the arrival of phylloxera. The vineyard was devastated by the aphid as early as 1863. The replanting was necessary to restore the estate to its former glory. In the 20th century, it became the property of Denys de Bonnaventure, who also replanted who also replanted several plots in the 1950s.

In 1988, the parents of Jean Denys de Bonnaventure (current owner), Etienne and Pascale, modernized the estate and developed new terroirs...

Chinon when you hold us...

Jean Denys de Bonnaventure then took over the reins of a 19.5-hectare family estate hectares, certified organic since 1994. In fact, he inherited an estate that was the first in Chinon first in Chinon to practice organic viticulture for the entire vineyard.

Our protagonist also has a passion for wine in his veins, representing a generation generation of one of Chinon's greatest families. It was only natural that he should direct his his studies towards agronomy and oenology. In 2017, when his studies were completed, he took over he took over the estate with his wife Tatiana. Together, they continue the family tradition while respecting the vines and the terroir.

A multi-faceted terroir: some parcels are composed of sand and clay/limestone. clay/limestone, giving Jean the opportunity to work his magic on wines of diverse different origins. Wines from clay-limestone soils are earthier, more complex and can be kept keep for decades before revealing their full potential. One of the parcels named "Les Picasses" is renowned for producing this type of wine.

For red wines, Cabernet Franc (16 hectares) is the only authorized grape variety. chenin (3.5 hectares). Low yields translate into deeply concentrated concentrated, tasty and succulent expressions. Each year, some 80,000 bottles land on tables the world over for unforgettable unforgettable moments...