Château de Coulaine
(Winery in Loire Valley, Chinon, Touraine)
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About Winery and Wines
The Denys de Bonnaventure family has cultivated vines since the 15th century, with the current château built in 1470 and continuously inhabited ever since. The estate has remained active through the centuries, with viticulture playing a key role in its legacy. In 1534, Coulaine was even mentioned by François Rabelais in Gargantua. By the early 18th century, vineyard activity was well documented in a family harvest journal, noting around 30 acres of vines. Though the vineyard suffered devastation during the phylloxera crisis of the 19th century, some vines survived in the Clos de Turpenay and were later replanted between 1950 and 1970. This revival was led by Jacques Denys de Bonnaventure, who used massal selection from old vines. From 1988 to 2017, Etienne and Pascale Denys de Bonnaventure modernized the estate, replanting historic plots and highlighting terroirs like Les Pieds Rôtis and Les Picasses. In 1994, they embraced organic viticulture, becoming pioneers in Chinon. In 2017, I returned to the family estate with my wife Tatiana, driven by a deep respect for our heritage, our vines, and the unique terroir that defines them.
— Jean Denys de Bonnaventure
Spanning 18 hectares, the vineyard benefits from a mosaic of terroirs that bring distinct character to each cuvée. The soils range from clay and limestone in Sinople, Les Picasses, and La Diablesse, to yellow limestone sands in Clos de Turpenay. Coulaine and Bonnaventure feature clay and silt, while Les Pieds Rôtis showcases gravels, fossilized sponges, and red-brown clay. This rich diversity provides an exceptional environment for the cultivation of Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc, allowing each grape to reveal its full personality and express the nuanced identity of its origin.
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