Collection: chateau de plaisance
France - Loire
[The challenge to inherit the spirit of Shaumes and shine with new brilliance]
Château de Plaisance is located in Chaumes, one of the Loire's finest terroirs. After graduating from oenology school in Anjou, Vanessa Schroud spent 12 years in the wine industry. She then became acquainted with the Rocher family, who owned Château de Plaisance (actually more of a farmhouse than a château) on the Chaumes hills and 25 hectares of vineyards spread across the region's schist bedrock. Initially, the historic château was slated for sale to a local cooperative, but Vanessa persuaded the family to transfer it to her. This allowed Vanessa to continue their incredible legacy while blazing a new trail in the Loire.
Fortunately, the vineyards Vanessa inherited were some of the best-tended on the hill. Plaisance has been certified organic since 1995 and biodynamic since 2008, and she continues the biodynamic practices her predecessors established, understanding that protecting the vines' natural environment is of the utmost importance. Since the first vintage in 2019, Vanessa has elevated the reputation of dry Chenin from the Chaumes hills, now emerging as one of the Loire's most interesting terroirs.
Chaumes is located 10 kilometers south of Savennières and is an appellation exclusively for sweet wines (Courts de Chaume Grand Cru and Coteaux de Layon Premier Cru Chaumes). This means that Vanessa and other producers cannot legally include the name "Chaume" on the label of their dry Chenin from the Chaume hilltop. Despite this restriction, Vanessa continues to produce world-class dry wines and, together with other producers, has created a new name for dry Chenin made from grapes harvested on the Chaume hilltop: "Roncelet." The name comes from the monastery that produced dry wine on the Chaume hilltop in the 17th century. By adopting this name, they hope to promote Chaume's dry wines.
Vanessa has been at the forefront of improving quality in the region, and her wines are distinguished by their purity and exceptional minerality.
