In the heart of the Loire lies Domaine Chancelle, a vineyard located on the magnificent limestone soil of Turquant, a small village nestled between Saumur and Chinon. Thierry Chancelle is a native of Chinon and Lydie, his wife, a daughter and granddaughter of viticulturists in Saumur. The entire family estate is situated on clayey-limestone slopes which consist of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Chenin. Respectful to tradition, but also innovative, they have the concern to highlight the nuances of their terroir by practicing the most natural viticulture to preserve the soil balance of their plots. Chancelle produces powerful and elegant Cabernet Franc, but the couple has a true passion for Chenin. Early in their careers, Thierry and Lydie confessed their love for the variety and actively campaigned for the recognition of a white Saumur-Champigny appellation.
California
CDVAL
This is an old estate with traditions dating back to the 18th century, but the new regime first produced a vintage in 1989. The vines now run from eight to 35 years old and are at an altitude between 250 and 500 meters. In Eastern Vinho Verde, [Casa do Valle] is located in the sub-region of Basto, which the winery calls “warmer and less humid than the rest.” They are about 75 kilometers from the ocean, surrounded by mountains and divided by the river Tâmega, thus putting estate vineyards of the Quinta on both sides of the river. With consultant Luis Duarte and Luis Botelho Cameira (of the Sousa Botelho family that owns the estate) as winemakers, Casa do Valle seems to be making interesting wines on a regular basis now.” – The Wine Advocate – Issue #230, April 2017
Casa do Valle is located near the legendary Cavez Bridge, a place often mentioned in the work of the famous Portuguese 19th-century writer Camilo Castelo Branco, and spreads out, protected by the mountain ranges of Barroso and Alvao, across the hillsides of the Tâmega River. The excellent exposure of the vines at this estate, located in the Basto sub region, along with rigorous selection in the vineyards and careful winemaking processes gives rise to wines of world-renowned quality.
Casa do Valle is the name of the manor house of the estate, which produces the Vinho Verde of the same name. Owned by the Sousa Botelho family, winemaking here dates back to the 18th century and features a mix of the ancient enforcado (tree-trained vines) and ramada (trellis) training systems for the red grapes and the modern single-wire training system for the white grapes.
The main noble grape varieties used for the white wines are the Alvarinho, Arinto, Azal and Loureiro. For red and rosé wines the grape varieties are Vinhao, the predominant red-grape variety of the Vinho Verde Region, Rabo de Ovelha, and Touriga Nacional.
With a total area of 170 ha, of which 55 hectares are under vines, Casa do Valle is one of the largest production Quintas in the Vinho Verde Region, using exclusively grapes produced at the estate.
Domaine Rion
The Rion family history goes back five generations to 1896 in Premeaux and Nuits-Saint-Georges. The Domaine was established in 1955 by Daniel Rion with a mere 2 ha of vines, selling the majority of his wine to negociants until the 1978 vintage. Daniel’s sons Patrice (who departed in 2000), Christophe, Olivier and eventually his daughter Pascale would join him at the winery. As their vineyard holdings grew, Domaine Rion became a standard bearer of old-school vin de gard Burgundy. As Clive Coates puts it: “This is an important domaine. Quality is high and dependable and if I find a ‘house style’ in the wines, a family resemblance, I don’t quibble too much because the wines are clean and fruity and the tannins have become increasingly sophisticated over the years.” Today Jean-Charles, son of Olivier and grandson of Daniel runs the estate. They now manage 6 ha across Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne Romanée, Nuits-Saint-Georges, and the Grand Crus of Clos Vougeot and Échezeaux. The winemaking remains traditional.
Viticulture & Winemaking
Attentive care throughout the year keeps him in his vines and cellar. The harvest is limited to small yields. The grapes are harvested manually followed by rigorous sorting, favoring only the healthiest berries. The vinification takes place in open stainless-steel vats at carefully controlled temperatures throughout the alcoholic fermentation process. Maceration lasts on average from fifteen days to three weeks depending on the appellations and the quality of the vintage. The aging takes place quietly between twelve and eighteen months in oak barrels.