The domain

From the XVIth century the nearby seigneuries of Vaugaudry and Plessis-Gerbault belong already to the same family, because the first known Lords are Jacques Pommier for Vaugaudry and Jean Pommier for Plessis-Gerbault.

In the XVIIth century both seigneuries became the property of magistrates’ important family established to Chinon for the XVth century, Dreux. In 1680, Anne Françoise Catherine, wife of Philippe Dreux, master of the requests and the councillor of King, was talked on the town for his relations with Duke de Richelieu and her dishonest compromise in the affair of poisons of « La Voisin ».

Having belonged to Pierre Herbelin, Commissioner of the wars, who died there in 1820, the entirety was the property of senator Joubert which reshaped it by making build the current castle on a place different from the ancient noble house of Vaugaudry.

This place, distant from hundred of meters, was chosen because it benefited completely from the beautiful view on the fortress of Chinon. It also began to realize an outer wall so enclosing the 58 hectares of the property.

The culture of the vine, which was practised for a very long time (cf. Rabelais) there, became intensified from this moment there. The wine storehouse was built in this period, as give evidence of it a mosaic and a drawing which decorate its walls dated « 1903 ».

Between both wars, the changes repeated by owners, the slump of wines of the Loire, the charm for rival cultures, conjugated to reduce strikingly the vineyard of the Castle of Vaugaudry.

In 1949, it was finally acquired by Doctor Bonnet, grandfather of the current owner. Since 1980, a return in the vine was engaged, allowing the vineyard to reach 12 hectares.

The driving of the vineyard

Red varietal : 100% cabernet franc
White varietal : 100% chenin
Planting density: 5,000 feet per hectare
Annual production: 600 hectoliters
Soil worked either by grass or by plowing
Fight against plant diseases

Vinification

The cellar, with a capacity of 1,100 hectoliters, was equipped with modern equipment in 1989, in a winery designed at the beginning of the century.

The harvest, carried out mechanically and manually, according to the parcels, is de-stemmed integrally then conveyed by a treadmill with buckets in each tank.

The conduct of winemaking preserves the achievements of the tradition (pigeage with winding of the must to water the hat), perfected by modern techniques (regular analysis of musts); with the first philosophy of maintaining its typicity (power or finesse) in each vintage.

The control of temperatures, essential for a good extraction of colors, tannins and aromas, is provided by runoff to cool and by a tubular exchanger to heat.

The fermentation and the maceration last 8 to 21 days according to the cuvées and the grape harvests.

After de-vatting, the barrels are made very selectively so that the wood supply is not excessive.

The wines are then bottled and kept in tufa cellars.