Château de Coulaine - Chinon blanc Sinople 2023

The new generation at the helm of Bonnaventure—Jean and Tatiana—is taking this historic estate to new heights in the finest possible way. The age of the vines, combined with organic-oriented farming practices, contributes to the growing success of this estate, which offers excellent value for the money. A highly recommended selection from a reputable producer.

Among the white wines, there are some beautiful, distinctive expressions of Chenin to discover: Sinople, which offers a more crisp and briny profile.

The estate has been in the Bonnaventure family since the Middle Ages, when the vineyards of the historic Clos de Turpenay were planted. In 1988, Étienne and Pascale de Bonnaventure undertook the expansion of the estate. They revived the spirit of the great wines of Beaumont, the first tier of the Chinon appellation on the Loire side, where Cabernets—under a more oceanic influence—gain a delicate, intricate character and refined fruitiness compared to those from the eastern part of the appellation. Today, Château de Coulaine produces a brilliant range of organic Chinons that combine fresh fruit with an elegant texture. The vintages do not obscure the expression of the terroirs: the suppleness (Beaumont’s clay and silica) in Château de Coulaine and the slender freshness of the clay-limestone soils in Les Picasses, the sun-kissed density in Clos de Turpenay (south-facing), and the chalky character of La Diablesse (in its old-vines version, north-facing). Jean de Bonnaventure, the son of Étienne and Pascale, who took over in January 2017, has brought new energy to defining these meticulous and precise wines while preserving their unique soul and sensibility. The faithful expression of the latest vintages deserves a second star.