Coteaux du Layon Chaume

Chaume wines are sweet white wines from the Loire Valley. A high-quality wine region, the Chaume appellation had a brief existence from 2003 to 2009, marred by a series of legal battles. Since 1950, Chaume had been a village appellation within the Coteaux du Layon appellation. The Chaume appellation was first granted in 2003 with the designation "Premier Cru." The wines from the 2002, 2003, and 2004 vintages were thus marketed under the appellation Chaume-Premier Cru des Coteaux du Layon. A ruling by the Council of State on July 27, 2005, revoked this recognition on the grounds that the designation "Premier Cru" created the impression of a hierarchy relative to neighboring crus. The Chaume Premier Cru des Coteaux du Layon appellation therefore existed only for wines from the 2002, 2003, and 2004 vintages. It was replaced by the Chaume appellation by decree on February 21, 2007. However, on March 30, 2009, the Council of State once again annulled the AOC, criticizing it for undermining the reputation of the Quarts-de-Chaume AOC. Since the 2009 vintage, the wines have once again been produced under the Coteaux-du-Layon Chaume appellation.

Essentially, this vineyard, formerly classified as an AOC, covers an area of 70 hectares in the commune of Rochefort-sur-Loire , with an annual production not exceeding 1,100 hectoliters. The wine is made exclusively from Chenin grapes and benefits from the effects of noble rot. The grapes are harvested by hand when overripe through successive pickings. Its color ranges from deep yellow to golden. Chaume wine can be cellared for about ten years, or even much longer depending on the vintage. Within the appellation, the wine produced by Château de la Roulerie stands out.