Two Great Chinons from Chateau de Coulaine!

8/16/2008 -

(Chateau de Coulaine, rebuilt in the 15th century)

During our recent trip to the Loire Valley we were fortunate to taste with Pascale and Etienne de Bonaventure of Chateau Coulaine. Situated in Veron, terroir praised by Rabelais, the estate has been producing wine since 1300. Etienne and Pascale took over the wine-making in 1988, enlarged the property, converted it to organic viticulture, and raised the quality to be among the top few in Chinon.

They produce two wines for early drinking from vineyards of sands and gravel near the Vienne river, but their top wines are from the classic "argilo-calcaire" clay/limestone soils of Veron that give complex, earthy wines capable of long-term cellaring. We are happy to offer small quantities of two of these wines not previously avalable in the US. The Clos du Turpenay dates back to 1245 and is a great site, mid-slope, with 45 year old, massale selection vines. Les Picasses is one of the most famous vineyards in Chinon, giving powerful, earthy wines that become remarkably complex with 15 to 20 years of cellaring. But don't worry, both these wines can be enjoyed now if you can't wait.....