Château de Fesles

Château de Fesles is undoubtedly one of the oldest vineyards in Anjou. It is located at the southernmost tip of the Coteaux du Layon, near the village of Bonnezeaux, in the Loire Valley. For nearly a thousand years, the estate has been producing exceptional wines of international renown. Ranked among the region’s most exceptional terroirs, the Château de Fesles vineyards—planted with Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc—produce dry white and red Anjou wines, as well as Bonnezeaux. The vineyards occupy the highest hillsides surrounding the village. Beautifully exposed to the south and southwest, they overlook the Layon River.

The legendary“La Chapelle”plot, located behind the estate’s château, faces due south toward the Layon. Until 2001, it produced the estate’s finest Bonnezeaux wines. Starting in 2002, the bold gamble taken by Bernard Germain—who has been at the helm since 1996—led Château de Fesles’s highest-quality plot to produce its first vintage of dry white Anjou. The Chenin vines, the oldest of which are nearly 70 years old, are planted on a terroir of schist and phanite. The vines are cultivated using sustainable methods, and the grapes are harvested by hand in successive passes—up to three times—ensuring that only perfectly ripe clusters are picked. Vinification takes place in 400-liter oak casks, followed by 18 months of aging in barriques. Château de Fesles is now owned by Bernard Germain, who purchased it 10 years ago from the renowned pastry chef Gaston Lenôtre. Since then, he has upheld the great tradition and has brought his expertise to bear, enabling the château’s other white wine ranges to continue to evolve—particularly the dry whites, such as this “La Chapelle” cuvée, which truly embodies a great terroir!