We started off exploring the Loire Valley wines in the Atlantic region of the Pays Nantais or Lower Loire, the easternmost and last Loire Valley wine region before the Loire River empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The Muscadet Sèvre et Maine wine-growing region is located on a southern slope, at the confluence of the rivers Sèvre and Maine. The soils are mainly different types of schist. This region is almost exclusively devoted to white wine, the “Muscadet” - made from the “Melon de Bourgogne”grape - with crackling acidity and sleek citrus fruit. These are sea-side wines with an emphasis on freshness and the perfect pairing with all sorts of seafood. I quote Flatiron Wines: “Oysters and Melon de Bourgogne: a magical pairing, the two together really are more than the sum of two.”
Our first stop was at Vignobles Günther Chéreau, Château du Coing, in Saint Fiacre-sur-Maine, AOP Muscadet Sèvre et Maine.
Our visit comprised a vineyard tour, cellar tour, tasting and light lunch at the winery. Our hosts were Aurore Günther-Chéreau. Most of the time, her huge dog was also with us.
Vignobles Günther Chéreau is represented in the USA by Williams Corner.
Vignobles Günther Chéreau, Château du Coing, in Saint Fiacre-sur-Maine
There is evidence that the lands in this region have been cultivated since Roman times. One can see cellars, hewn from the ground and built up with schist and sandstone. The origins of the Château du Coing go back to the 15 th century. In 1973 the domaine was acquired by Bernard Chéreau and his wife Edmonde Carré. In 1990 their daughter Véronique Günther-Chéreau, a trained pharmacist, took over.
Today her daughter Aurore takes on more and more responsibilities. They cultivate 110 acres of vineyards,
almost all are planted with the Melon-de-Bourgogne grape and with a small percentage of Chardonnay. 60 acres are planted with vines that are over 80 years old. Winemaking is according to “Lutte Raisonée”. The yields are kept down to 50 hl/ha and spontaneous fermentation is the rule. I quote Chris Kissack, The Winedoctor: “All the same, these are wines of considerable polish, depth and substance at the upper level. I’m impressed.”
Vignobles Günther Chéreau (Estate Website)
A family with winegrowing savoir-faire
The running of the estate has been a family affair for several generations. Today, the mother and daughter team Véronique & Aurore manage this prestigious estate, producing highly acclaimed terroir-driven Muscadets across 75 hectares of vineyards in the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation.
Véronique has been at the estate since 1989 when she took over from her father. The estate’s different terroirs and the ageing potential of its Muscadets fascinated her and are aspects she has constantly striven to promote. Aurore, a qualified winemaker, joined the estate in 2011, and has converted some of the vineyards to certified organic winegrowing methods.
An extraordinary location at the confluence of the rivers Sèvre and Maine
We have vineyards covering 75 hectares within the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation, in three different places:
- Château du Coing in Saint Fiacre
- Château de la Gravelle in Gorges
- Grand Fief de la Cormeraie in Monnières
The name Château du Coing comes from the estate’s location at the ‘corner’ of the Sèvre and Maine rivers. This location gives the vineyard south-facing slopes with a cool microclimate created by the two rivers. This wine estate has a long history, of which the first written record dates back to 1536.
Our transition to organic winegrowing
Since 2010, we have gradually been converting our vineyard to organic agriculture. We are keen to produce wines that reflect and reveal the potential of the terroir and are now tilling the soil more, with mechanical assistance.
Unique grape varieties
We grow two main varieties: Melon B. and Folle Blanche. These unique varieties have long been grown in the area. Their subtle varietal aromas allow the character of the terroirs to show through in the wines.
Lees-ageing provides richness and complexity
We typically use the traditional techniques of the Vignoble Nantais to make our wines, in other words, they are matured in underground vats and on lees. The lees are the natural deposit that nourishes the wine, bringing it complexity and ageing ability. The wines are left on their lees for months or even years in some cases.
Terroirs are our source of excellence
Our terroirs are our key source of inspiration. The Muscadet region is the largest dry white wine making region in Europe.
There are, however, many diverse styles of Muscadet due to the region’s differing terroirs.
Beneath our vineyard plots, we find various rocks, including two-mica gneiss, gabbro and micaschist.
A section of gneiss slopes down to the micaschist of Saint Fiacre (Château du Coing) towards Monnières (Grand Fief de la Cormeraie). Due to the confluence, the vines of Château du Coing grow on south-facing slopes, which is rare in the Muscadet region. Micaschist is a type of weathered rock that we find in Monnières.
The wines of Château du Coingshow floral and fruity notes like lily, wild carnation, pear, and peach and have very nice minerality, which gives them an elegant style.
The wines of our Cormeraievineyard are driven by ripe fruit aromas, like peach and apricot.
Sur la commune de Gorges, Le Château de la Gravelle repose sur des Gabbros altérés et des argiles à quartz. Les raisins sont à maturité tardive. La dégustation révèle des vins sur les notes fumées et de pierre à fusil, une très belle minéralité.
In Gorges, our Château de la Gravelle has a subsoil of weathered gabbro and clay with quartz. The grapes here are late ripening. The wines shows smokiness and notes of gunflint, giving them very nice minerality.
Careful plot selections
Separate wines are made from each plot with no blending of wines.
This allows us to bring out the best of each terroir and to produce diverse styles of Muscadet.
We have always been a strong advocate for the recognition of Crus Communaux (village cru wines). The national appellations office, INAO, has selected a number of eligible plots within our vineyards. The grapes from these vineyards are subject to strong controls and low yield requirements. Our Monnières Saint Fiacre and Gorges crus are among some of our finest wines.
Muscadet that can age
Known and recognised for several generations for our age-worthy Muscadets, we invite you to travel through time for a unique discovery of the wide-ranging tastes of Muscadet vintages.
Owners & winemakers: Véronique & Aurore Günther Chereau
Vineyards: 75ha
Vineyard management: 28ha organic, 47ha sustainable
Soils: Varied by parcel, including schist, gneiss, and gabbro
Grapes grown: Melon de Bourgogne, Chardonnay, Folle Blanche
Annual production: 50,000-350,000 bottles, depending on the vintage
Quick facts:
- Today, Château du Coing is run by mother-and-daughter team Véronique and Aurore.
- It’s a historic property: the first written record of the estate goes back to 1536.
- Véronique was an early proponent of the “Crus Communaux,” and the estate continues to vinify and bottle individual plots separately to showcase the diversity and ageability of Muscadet.
Véronique Gunther-Chereau has headed Château du Coing since taking over for her father in 1989. The property dates to the 15th century, and the family have been inheritors of the estate for three generations. Originally called Château du Coin (“castle of the corner”) in reference to its location at the joining of the Sevre and Maine rivers, the name was changed to “castle of the quince” to sound more regal, or at least palatable. The proximity of the two rivers creates a cooler microclimate in the area, and closer to the confluence, the vineyards are planted on south-facing hillsides, a rarity in the region.
Since Véronique’s ascendancy, the Gunther-Chereaus consolidated their vineyard holdings and enlarged the acreage under vine. Her daughter, Aurore, joined her mother at the wineryin 2011 after completing her studies in oenology, bringing fresh energy and new perspectives. They recently began converting to organic viticulture, building on their longstanding practice of limiting inputs and favoring mechanical work of the soils.
Véronique has always been a proponent of the Cru Communaux and ageability in the wines of Muscadet. She was an early pioneer of long aging on the lees in large volume without stirring to give Melon de Bourgogne structure and character. The wines are aged in large underground glass tanks, as is traditional in the Nantes region. Each plot is vinified separately in order to showcase the diversity between the different terroirs.
Château du Coing has been a part of WCW since the beginning and feels like an old friend, with wines of freshness, subtlety, and intrigue.
Arriving
Château du Coing
Vineyard Tour
Tasting
Cellar Tour
Light Lunch at the Estate
Lunch included 8 different cheeses, charcuterie and 3 different wines.
Bye-bye
Bye-bye and thank you very much Aurore.
Dinner at L'Océanide (Bib Gourmand Michelin) in Nantes - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at L'Instinct Gourmand in Nantes, with Owner/ Chef Sylvain le Bras - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided Tour of Old Town Nantes - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at Iconic Brasserie La Cigale in Nantes - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour, Tasting and Light Lunch at Vignobles Günther Chéreau, Château du Coing, in Saint Fiacre-sur-Maine, with Owner Véronique Günther-Chéreau - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Visit at Domaine Gadais Père et Fils, in Saint Fiacre-sur-Maine, Muscadet Sévre et Maine, Pays Nantais, with Owner/ Winemaker Christoph Gadais - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at Restaurant Les Petits Près in Angers - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard
Tour and Tasting at Château d’Épiré, AOP Savennières, Anjou, with
Owner/ Winemaker Paul Bizard - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard Tour, Barrel Tasting and Salon Tasting at Château des Vaults, Domaine du Closel in Savennière, Anjou, with Owner/ winemaker Evelyne de Pontbriand - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Wine-pairing Lunch at Château des Vaults, Domaine du Closel in Savennière, Anjou, with Owner/ Winemaker Evelyne de Pontbriand and Owner/ Chef Arthur Favé of Restaurant Le Chenin in Savennière - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided Visit of Château Angers and the Apocalypse Tapestry (UNESCO) - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at Brasserie du Ralliement in Angers - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Domäne Vincendeau in Rochefort-sur-Loire, Anjou, with Owner/ Winemaker Liv Vincendeau - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with a Light Lunch at Domaine de la Soucherie in Beaulieu-sur-Layon, Anjou - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting and Cellar Tour at Clotilde Legrand, Domaine
Legrand, in Varrains, Anjou, with Clotilde Legrand - Loire Valley 2024
by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at Restaurant L’Essentiel in Saumur - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided Visit of L’ Abbey Royale de Fontevraud in Fontevraud - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at L’Orangerie Saumur in the Courtyard of the Château de Saumur - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting,
Cellar Tour and Vineyard Tour at Domaine des Roches Neuves in Varrains,
Anjou, with Next Generation Owner/ Winemaker Louis Germain and Agathe
Germain - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Maison Bouvet-Ladubay in Saumur, with Owner Juliette Monmousseau - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Cave M. Plouzeau in Chinon, Touraine, with Owner/ Winemaker Marc Plouzeau - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Domaine de la Haut Olive in Chinon, Touraine - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at Le Bistrot du Marchéin Chinon - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard
Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine François Gazin, Le Petit
Chambord, in Cheverney, Touraine, with François Gazin - Loire Valley
2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at Restaurant Brut Maison de
Cuisine in Blois, with Owner/ Chef Adrien Delafoy and Owner/ Chef Thomas
Gaudard - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard Tour by Car and Tasting at Domaine Brazilier in Thoré-la-Rochette, CôteauxVendômois, Touraine, with Owner/ Winemaker Benoît Braziliery - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at Le Moulin du Loir in Vendôme - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Visit of Château Chambord - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided Tour of Château Royal de Blois - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Sunday Lunch at Restaurant La Croix Blanche (Bib Gourmand Michelin), with Owner/ Chef Jean-François Beauduin - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided Visit of Château du Clos Lucé and the Leonardo-da-Vinci Park in Amboise - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner, Overnight-stay and Breakfast at Château de Pray in Amboise - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours.
Visit at Denis Meunier in Vernou-sur-Brenne, Touraine - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Visit at Domaine des Aubuisières, Bernard Fouquet, in Vouvray, Touraine - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided Visit of Château Chenonceau - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner and Overnight-stay at Auberge du Bon Laboureur in Chenonceau - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard
Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Pellé in Morogues,
Menetou-Salon, with the Export Manager Pauline Guillot - Loire Valley
2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at Restaurant Fluteau in Morogues - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar
Tour and Extensive Tasting at at Domaine Alphons Mellot in Sancerre,
with Alphons Mellot - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar
Tour and Tasting at Domaine de Vrillères, SCEA in Sury-en-Vaux,
Sancerre, with Kevin Lauverjat - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar
Tour and Tasting at Domaine Tinel-Blondelet in Pouilly-sur-Loire, with
Marlène and Annick Tinel - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at Restaurant/ Affineur Romain Dubois in Chavignol, with Gilles Dubois - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Domaine Henri Bourgeois in Chavignol - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Wine-pairing Dinner at Le Clos du Maréchal with the Wines of Vignobles Berthier, with the Owner/ Winemaker Clément Berthier and the Chef/ Owner Nathanael Fromant - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Last Meal of the Tour: At La Coupole in Paris - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours