Coteaux du Layon

The vineyard covers around 1,400 hectares, with annual production approaching 40,000 hectolitres. The terroir is composed of typical Armorican schist and sandstone terraces, the shallow brown soils (outcropping bedrock) of Anjou Noir. The climate is temperate oceanic and particularly dry. The delimited zones correspond to well-exposed, well-ventilated slopes, which favor early vegetation (microclimate in which Mediterranean vegetation grows) and systematically produce overripe harvests. 

The appellation Coteaux du Layon produces mellow wines and sweet wines, made from CheninThe aromatic richness of these wines is infinite. The grapes are harvested by hand, in successive selections, when they have reached over-ripeness and are concentrated by the action or absence of noble rot. The wines produced should be decanted and served chilled at 8°C to allow them to evolve. They can be kept from 5 years to several decades, or even a century in fine vintages. Such crus can be offered by Château Pierre-BiseDomaine des Sablonnettes or the Château de la Roulerie.

Wine description

This is a sweet or syrupy, fruity white wine made from Chenin blanc, known as Chenin B, which has the particularity of being overripe. It has earned a place at the finest tables, and its presence in haute gastronomy is well deserved. A perfect match for dishes such as foie gras, thanks to its honeyed flavors, Chenin Blanc is a perfect match for a variety of dishes. Coteaux-du-Layon white wine has very specific storage criteria. It should be kept between 11 and 13 degrees Celsius, preferably in an ageing cabinet, and enjoyed at eight degrees. It is even more important to control the humidity in which the bottle of Coteaux-du-Layon is kept. Golden-green in color, with coppery highlights with age, its sparkling color is seductive. It can be kept for between five and twenty years, or even longer for larger bottles and harvests. Coteaux du Layon price ranges from 10 euros to 40 euros a bottle.

Territory and climate

Produced on the banks of the Layon river, Coteaux du Layon benefits from a special climate that gives it its unique characteristics. Situated on the Armorican Massif, the geological conditions (schist- and mineral-rich soils) and cool winds allow the grapes to over-ripen, giving the wine its very characteristics and flavor. The mild, warm climate contrasts with rainy winters, which help ripen the grapes. So it's a real clash between continental and oceanic climates that finds its way into the bottle. Total annual production is just over five million bottles, sold throughout Europe.

A little history

Coteaux du Layon is a white wine. d'Anjouin the Loire region. It has been an appellation d'origine contrôlée since 1950, covering 27 neighboring communes, just under 1,500 hectares and bordering the Château de Châlonnes. It all began in the 17th century, when the local Dutch decided to buy the wine. Thanks to these exchanges and investments, the wine came to be known and appreciated for its true worth, eventually becoming part of France's rich culinary heritage. However, the production and perpetuation of this wine was weakened by the Vendée war, which destroyed part of the harvest, the land and the work of many men and women. At the end of the 19th century, the vines also suffered from the proliferation of phylloxera, a particularly devastating little insect.