Chinon AOP

GREAT LOIRE WINE

Close to the abbey, the vineyard of Château de St Louans is located in the small eponymous hamlet, the birthplace of the Chinon appellation.

On this limestone hill, locally called a « Puy » and shaping the right bank of the Vienne River, the old vines of Château de St Louans are divided into 2 plots: Clos du Pin, planted with Cabernet Franc, and Clos des Aubuis, planted with Chenin Blanc.

From the top of the slope, the vines overlook the Vienne River. A real gem, a great terroir capable of producing wines that transcend time.

The original terroir of Chinon wines.

The Terroir

An exceptional geographic setting for a unique terroir.

The thin layer of sandy-textured topsoil, with very little clay is reduced to its simplest form. Golden-brown in hue, it warms up quickly with the first spring sunshine and the vines bud early. This well-drained soil never holds excess water.

In contrast, the bedrock, upper Turonian limestone, known as « tuffeau jaune de Touraine », serves as a natural reservoir, supplying water and minerals to the deep-set roots of the vines.

Located at the top of the hill, a part of the vineyard faces east and benefits from the first light of day. At 75 meters above sea level, a gentle breeze cools the vines which overlook the Vienne valley. These conditions are ideal for achieving perfect ripeness in the early autumn.

From Vineyard to Cellar

Very old vines for truly distinctive bottles…

When we first visited the vineyard in 2006, the trellising was in poor condition, outdated and deteriorated. It took a full year to restore it, and 2007 was our first harvest.

Most of these old vines were planted in 1949, with some of the oldest dating back to 1939 or even 1929. They require constant care and attention.

To express both the strength and finesse of this unique terroir, we preserve the integrity of the grapes from vine to vat and press. Harvesting is done entirely by hand, and the grapes are gravity vatted in our winery in Panzoult. Every step is taken to ensure gentle maceration and slow fermentation.

To express the full potential of this outstanding terroir, the wines are then aged in barrels for one to two years.

A great terroir is one that shows its character beyond the vintage. Whether red or white, these wines, made for ageing and gastronomy, reveal their complexity after a few years in the cellar.

The Team

JEAN MARTIN DUTOUR