EXCEPTIONAL FINE & EVERYDAY WINE
FINE & EVERYDAY WINE
EXCEPTIONAL FINE & EVERYDAY WINE
FINE & EVERYDAY WINE
Château de Coulaine
Château de Coulaine, located in the heart of France’s Loire Valley, is a historic estate with over 500 years of winemaking tradition. Known for its organic farming practices, the Château is renowned for producing high-quality wines that reflect the unique terroir of the Chinon appellation.
Cabernet Franc is the star grape here, with wines that exhibit vibrant fruit, minerality, and excellent aging potential. The estate also produces small quantities of Chenin Blanc, rosé, and sparkling wines. With a deep commitment to sustainability and a respect for biodiversity, Château de Coulaine continues to innovate while preserving its rich heritage, making it a standout producer in the region.Today, the estate is managed by Étienne de Bonnaventure, who took over in the 1980s. His stewardship marked a turning point for the estate, particularly with his decision to convert the vineyards to organic farming. Étienne’s decision to embrace organic viticulture was driven by a desire to respect the environment and improve the health of the vineyards, ensuring that the wines reflect the true essence of the terroir.
The estate has been certified organic since 1997, and all aspects of vineyard management adhere to these principles. Organic farming at Château de Coulaine involves avoiding the use of synthetic chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides. Instead, natural alternatives are employed, such as plant-based treatments and composts, to protect the vines and enrich the soil. One of the key focuses of organic farming is maintaining healthy, living soils. The estate practices regular crop rotation, cover cropping, and the use of organic compost to promote biodiversity within the soil ecosystem. These practices enhance the quality of the grapes and reduce the risk of disease. Château de Coulaine relies on natural pest control methods, such as encouraging beneficial insects and using natural treatments derived from plants. This approach minimizes the impact on the surrounding ecosystem and ensures that the grapes are grown in harmony with nature.
Beyond organic farming, Château de Coulaine is dedicated to preserving and enhancing the biodiversity of its estate. The vineyards are surrounded by forests, hedgerows, and natural grasslands, which provide a habitat for wildlife and contribute to a balanced ecosystem. This biodiversity helps to control pests naturally and promotes healthy vine growth.
The estate also places a strong emphasis on water conservation and reducing its carbon footprint. Efforts are made to minimize water usage in the vineyard and cellar, while solar panels provide a portion of the energy used in the winemaking process.
The Chinon appellation in the Loire Valley’s Touraine region is known for its varied soils and microclimates, making it an ideal environment for viticulture. Château de Coulaine benefits from this diversity, with vineyards on both clay-limestone slopes and sandy gravel plains. The clay-limestone soils retain moisture and contribute minerality and structure to Cabernet Franc, whilst the sandy gravel soils on the plains offer excellent drainage, producing lighter, fruitier, and elegant wines. The proximity of the Loire River moderates the climate, preserving grape acidity and ripeness, resulting in vibrant, balanced wines with freshness and complexity.
Cabernet Franc is the star of the show at Château de Coulaine, representing the vast majority of the estate’s production. Often overshadowed by its more famous cousin Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc thrives in the Loire Valley’s cooler climate and is particularly well-suited to the terroir of Chinon, typically exhibiting aromas of red berries, blackcurrants, and violets, with underlying earthy, mineral notes. On the palate, these wines are medium-bodied with fine tannins, bright acidity, and a distinct freshness. The limestone soils contribute to a chalky minerality, while the clay helps to provide structure and depth. While many Cabernet Franc wines from Chinon are approachable in their youth, the wines of Château de Coulaine have the potential to age gracefully for several decades. With time, these wines develop complex tertiary flavours, such as leather, tobacco, and truffle.
Château de Coulaine also produces a limited quantity of white wines, primarily from the Chenin Blanc grape which are known for their vibrant acidity and rich texture. These wines often display notes of quince, pear, and honey, with a subtle minerality that reflects the estate’s limestone-rich soils.
Château de Coulaine’s future is rooted in its commitment to sustainability and innovation. The estate continues to explore new ways to reduce its environmental impact, including experimenting with biodynamic farming practices and implementing renewable energy solutions. , such as solar panels and water conservation systems.
The estate also plans to expand its wine portfolio by experimenting with different grape varieties and winemaking techniques, all while staying true to its core philosophy of producing authentic, terroir-driven wines.
Château de Coulaine is a beacon of tradition, quality, and sustainability in the world of Loire Valley wines. With a rich history that spans centuries, a dedication to organic farming, and a portfolio of wines that reflect the unique terroir of Chinon, the estate continues to captivate wine lovers around the world. Whether you’re drawn to the elegance of its Cabernet Franc or the minerality of its Chenin Blanc, Château de Coulaine offers a wine experience that is both timeless and forward-thinking.
‘The Devil’ – what a perfect name for this wickedly impressive Chinon! A tiny (0.8ha) north facing plot of extremely old vines within the vineyard of ‘Les Picasses’ from a historic estate dating back to the early 13th century. This is an exceptional Chinon, produced entirely from Cabernet Franc, showing incredible purity of fruit and old-vine complexity within a beautiful fine frame. It offers a powerful yet elegant expression of the Chinon terroir, with concentrated flavours of red fruits, spices, and minerals. The wine is aged in a combination of oak barrels and stainless steel, allowing for a balance between fruit purity and subtle oak influence.
The soil in the Les Picasses vineyard is a blend of limestone and clay with small stones over a subsoil of pure limestone, imparting intensity and structure to the wine. The ample palate, with its graphite melted tannins and complex bouquet of dark fruits, tobacco are the typical of the expression of this cuvée. It has an incredibly good ageing potential, favoured by a 1-year ageing in barrels, 15% of which are new, but is delicious drinking now. Charming and approachable yet unmistakably serious.
Cabernet Franc cultivated from a blend of hillsides and plateau plots with a combination of limestone, sands and silt terroir. The estate’s traditional practices (selection massale and organic viticulture) ensure the wines are richer, fragrant and complex. Cabernet Franc is often overlooked in favour of it progeny Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, which results in the grape being undervalued. Cabernet Franc thrives in many areas: most famously on the right bank of Bordeaux, but here in the cool climate of the Loire Valley we see delicious bright red fruit dominating with an attractive leafy character. This is really drinkable Chinon and pairs brilliantly with many foods.
Produced in tiny quantity from 10 year Chenin Blanc vines from a single 0.4ha north facing plot combining gravel and clay soils. Vinification and ageing in a single 10001 sandstone jar to highlight and retain the purity of fruit with a touch of micro-oxygenation. The result wine is an exciting, mouth-filling mineral-driven Chenin Blanc with a touch of herbaceous notes and exotic tropical fruits, whilst maintaining its bright acidity. Decanting the wine to allow it open and develop will reward your enjoyment further.
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