The Vouvray appellation, an oasis for Chenin Blanc
OUR HISTORY
The year 372
In 372 Saint Martin founded the famous Abbey of Marmoutier and planted the first vines in Vouvray. It's there that his greedy donkey also discovered the benefits of short pruning for vines. A visionary or just adventurous, Saint Martin initiated a tradition that has lasted nearly 2000 years.
The beginning of the 13th century
From the beginning of the 13th century, white grape varieties were reserved for the parcels situated on the edge of the plateau and hillsides with stoney, limestone soils. Chenin Blanc (locally called Pineau de la Loire) was the noble grape variety of choice. As Rabelais said in his famous work 'Gargantua' in the 16th century: 'This pineau wine, O this lovely white wine! By my soul, it's such a silky, soft wine'.
The 15th and 16th centuries
The kings of France who stayed in the great Touraine chateaux recognised the quality of Vouvray wines and promoted them. The best Vouvrays belonged to the crown and featured prominently on the kings' table. The Loire was the ideal means of transport at that time and up until the end of the 19th century, wines from Vouvray were marketed to the countries of northern Europe thanks to Dutch brokers.
From 1906
A defence union was created to deal with unfair competition coming from dishonest merchants selling inferior wine coming from other regions sold under the name 'Vouvray'.
1936-1937
It's not by chance that Vouvray was the first Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée to be officially recognised in 1936 and in 1937 a wine brotherhood was created to promote it.
These days
These days the Vouvray vineyards remain practically unchanged and the AOC brings together no less than 150 domaines spread over 2300ha, located in 8 communes : Tours, Vouvray, Chançay, Noizay, Reugny, Rochecorbon, Vernou-sur-Brenne and Parcay-Meslay.
The Loire
The longest and last wild river in Europe, the Loire is the gateway to the vineyards. It leads to the vines, shapes the landscape and invites you to venture up into the hillsides where they are cultivated. Vineyards dominate this majestic river which was for centuries the centre of commerce for wines, transported in traditional wooden boats called gabares.
The river also naturally moderates the local climate and this effect is transmitted to the vineyards thanks to the many valleys that shape the hillsides.
THE CIRCULATION OF AIR BETWEEN THE PLATEAUS AND THE WATER COURSE
Contributes to the climatic conditions that are ideal for the Vouvray appellation, located where the oceanic and continental influences meet. Here, in the hollow of the Loire, winds from the sea meet up and combine with winds from the land.
Summers will generally have at least one heatwave lasting several days. Rainfall is around 680mm per year.
Soils
From a soil perspective, the terroir of Vouvray is made up of different layers. The vineyards that frame the edge of the plateau overlooking the Loire are composed of soft chalk called Tuffeau from the Turonien period. This is topped with a clay-siliceous layer from the Senonien, Eocene and Mio-pliocene periods and this is crowned by loamy wind blown deposits from the Quarternary period.
The ‘lieux dits’ (small geographical areas with a traditional name) or ‘clos’ (walled vineyards) reflect Vouvray’s geological diversity and its reputation.
The numerous ‘clos’ (walled vineyards) are often surrounded by stone walls where fiery flint rubs shoulders with soft limestone. The most prestigious vineyards such as Clos Naudin, Clos du Bourg, Clos du Petit Mont, Close de Rougement are renowned worldwide.
Clos are often located close to the edge of the limestone ridge, overlooking the valleys directly above the troglodyte caves hewn out of the limestone underneath them.
TROGLO
Since Roman times, the Vouvray countryside has been known for its troglodyte caves, hewn out of the limestone cliffs of the valleys. Former stone quarries that extracted the limestone to build the great houses, churches and walled vineyards of the area, they contain a chequered history.
Caves were used for the cultivation of mushrooms, members of the resistance used them during the Second World War, local vignerons dug out galleries by hand in their spare time. These caves have everything required for making, ageing and storing quality wine. With high humidity and a constant temperature of 12° all year round, Vouvray wines aged here develop aroma and complexity thanks to these vast natural storage and handling areas dug out of the limestone long ago.
