Rochefort-sur-Loire family domaine farming key plots in Savennieres (Clos du Papillon) and Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru, with bottlings going back five centuries of family history.
Signature wines: Savennières Clos du Papillon, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru, Coteaux du Layon Clos Sainte Catherine
Tip: Quarts de Chaume from Baumard, drunk after 20-30 years, is honey, quince and chalk in a glass.
Address: 8 Rue de l'Abbaye, 49190 Rochefort-sur-Loire, France, Loire Valley
Beaulieu-sur-Layon family estate of 53 hectares across Coteaux du Layon, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru and Savennieres, with the Les Rouannieres moelleux as the flagship.
Tasting: Monday-Saturday 10-12, 14-16:45, closed Sundays
Signature wines: Anjou Blanc Les Rouannières, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru, Savennières Clos de Coulaine
Tip: Les Rouannieres is the estate's flagship Coteaux du Layon Beaulieu cuvée from the south-facing schist slopes above the Layon tributary.
Chaudefonds-sur-Layon estate centred on the schist-and-volcanic Prince site, with dry Chenin and old-vine Coteaux du Layon plus Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru.
Tasting: Visits and tastings by appointment at the Prince cellar
Signature wines: Anjou Blanc Le Cornillard, Coteaux du Layon Les Bruandières, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
Tip: Patrick was one of the first growers to push Anjou's dry Chenin into grand-cru territory; the Le Cornillard parcel is the reference.
Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay five-generation family estate of 25 hectares biodynamic (Biodyvin) and organic (Ecocert), with parcels in Anjou, Coteaux du Layon and Savennieres.
Tasting: Visits and tastings by appointment at the Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay cellar
Signature wines: Savennières Clos le Grand Beaupréau, Anjou-Villages Côte de la Houssaye, Coteaux du Layon Saint-Lambert Clos des Bonnes Blanches
Tip: Clos le Grand Beaupreau (Savennieres) and Cote de la Houssaye (Anjou-Villages) are the high-end parcels worth seeking.
Anjou natural-wine cult: four hectares of Chenin Blanc parcels around Martigne-Briand farmed organically and biodynamically, vinified with zero intervention as Vin de France.
Tasting: No public visits. Allocation only.
Signature wines: Les Nourrissons, Les Terres Blanches, Les Onglés
Tip: Stephane trained with Mark Angeli; Les Nourrissons (centenarian Chenin on schist) is the cult bottle.
Savennieres-based estate uniting the historic Chateau de Chamboureau (former Pierre Soulez property) with Anjou holdings under Philippe Fournier, biodynamic and organic across 65 hectares.
Tasting: Visits and tastings at Chateau de Chamboureau by appointment
Signature wines: Savennières Chamboureau, Savennières Le Clos du Parc
Tip: Le Parc is the single-vineyard Savennieres; Chamboureau is the historic monopole anchored in the 13th-century chateau.
Beaulieu-sur-Layon family estate of 53 hectares across Coteaux du Layon, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru and Savennieres, with the Les Rouannieres moelleux as the flagship.
Tasting: Monday-Saturday 10-12, 14-16:45, closed Sundays
Signature wines: Anjou Blanc Les Rouannières, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru, Savennières Clos de Coulaine
Tip: Les Rouannieres is the estate's flagship Coteaux du Layon Beaulieu cuvée from the south-facing schist slopes above the Layon tributary.
Chaudefonds-sur-Layon estate centred on the schist-and-volcanic Prince site, with dry Chenin and old-vine Coteaux du Layon plus Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru.
Tasting: Visits and tastings by appointment at the Prince cellar
Signature wines: Anjou Blanc Le Cornillard, Coteaux du Layon Les Bruandières, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
Tip: Patrick was one of the first growers to push Anjou's dry Chenin into grand-cru territory; the Le Cornillard parcel is the reference.
Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay five-generation family estate of 25 hectares biodynamic (Biodyvin) and organic (Ecocert), with parcels in Anjou, Coteaux du Layon and Savennieres.
Tasting: Visits and tastings by appointment at the Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay cellar
Signature wines: Savennières Clos le Grand Beaupréau, Anjou-Villages Côte de la Houssaye, Coteaux du Layon Saint-Lambert Clos des Bonnes Blanches
Tip: Clos le Grand Beaupreau (Savennieres) and Cote de la Houssaye (Anjou-Villages) are the high-end parcels worth seeking.
Anjou natural-wine cult: four hectares of Chenin Blanc parcels around Martigne-Briand farmed organically and biodynamically, vinified with zero intervention as Vin de France.
Tasting: No public visits. Allocation only.
Signature wines: Les Nourrissons, Les Terres Blanches, Les Onglés
Tip: Stephane trained with Mark Angeli; Les Nourrissons (centenarian Chenin on schist) is the cult bottle.
Saumur-Champigny's grand cru: the Foucault brothers' 10 hectares of Cabernet Franc and old-vine Chenin at Chace, sold to the Bouygues family in 2017 after eight family generations.
Tasting: No public visits. Wines on strict allocation through importers.
Signature wines: Le Bourg, Les Poyeux, Le Clos
Tip: Le Bourg from old vines is the appellation's reference grand-cru-class bottle; vintages 2005, 2009 and 2010 are the modern benchmarks.
3-day Private tour to Top 7 Loire Valley Castles with 2 Wine tastings. Chenonceau, Amboise, Chambord, Blois, Chaumont, Da Vinci Clos Luce, Villandry by Mercedes. Live ...
Discover the Loire Valley and visit its three most prestigious castles of your choice on a private guided tour, at your pace, according to your wishes
Escape Paris for a magical day in the Loire Valley. Explore fairytale castles, wander charming Blois, and enjoy a local wine tasting along the way.
Wine tastings and winery visits in Loire Valley (22) · Wine tours and day trips in Loire Valley (35) · Wine tours by bike in Loire Valley (5)
