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, exceptional wines of international renown have been produced here. Ranked among the region’s 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. It was in 2002 that the bold gamble by Bernard Germain, owner of the estate since 1996, led the 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. This ensures that the pickers select only the perfectly ripe clusters. Vinification takes place in 400-liter oak barrels, followed by aging in barriques for 18 months. 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 brought his expertise to bear, enabling the continued development of the château’s other white wine ranges, particularly the dry whites, such as this “La Chapelle” cuvée—the expression of a great terroir!