Chateau de la Roche Wines

Loire Valley, France

The old manor house was built early in the 16th century and completed in the 17th. The property benefits from an ideal microclimate, bordered on one side by the Chinon Forest and overlooking the valleys of the Loire and Indre. The mildness of the climate, typical of the region, is perfect for the vines which are planted on gentle slopes on soil composed on clay, sand and flint, giving the Chateau’s wines their special character.

Their winemaking marries modern techniques with time-honoured traditions. Controlled, measured volumes; grass grown between the rows of vines (hosting the natural predators of insects attracted to the grapes); and channels for draining away rainwater all reflect a respect for nature and quality. The grapes are harvested manually, carried to the low-temperature storehouse on wooden trays, sorted on tables, and then gently passed through a pneumatic press.