Château de Fesles
Château de Fesles is a winery and vineyard located in Thouarcé, in the Bonnezeaux appellation of Anjou in the Loire Valley of France. Situated on one of the highest points in the Loire Valley in terms of viticulture, the estate sits at the heart of the Bonnezeaux appellation , approximately 30 kilometres southeast of Angers. It is one of the oldest and most historically significant estates in Anjou, and its Bonnezeaux wines are considered among the finest sweet wines produced in the Loire Valley.
History
The château and its estate were established in Thouarcé in the 11th century, though the viticultural vocation of the site may be considerably older: monks from the Gué de Berge monastery are recorded as citing the Bonnezeaux cru as early as 1055. Over the centuries, the property passed through a succession of aristocratic families, each contributing to the maintenance of the château and the gradual development of the vineyard.
In the 19th century, the Boivin family acquired Château de Fesles. As winemakers, they worked to expand the vineyard and improve both viticultural and winemaking techniques, while investing in the marketing of their wines, helping to establish the estate's solid reputation.
In 1991, when the estate was owned by the celebrated French pastry chef Gaston Lenôtre, Château de Fesles underwent a complete restoration. Since 2008, the estate has been owned by the Helfrich family.
The estate has been certified organic since 2022 for all its cuvées, having previously achieved HVE (High Environmental Value) certification in 2019.
Viticulture and winemaking
The Château de Fesles vineyard covers 48 hectares of vines surrounding the château itself. The terroir is divided into two main parts: hillside parcels planted with Chenin Blanc, used to produce Anjou Blanc, Coteaux du Layon and Bonnezeaux; and plateau parcels planted with Cabernet Franc, used for Anjou Rouge, Anjou-Villages and Cabernet d'Anjou, along with Grolleau for Rosé d'Anjou.
Château de Fesles owns approximately 25% of the total plantings in the Bonnezeaux appellation, though not all of these Chenin Blanc vines are vinified as Bonnezeaux — some are used for Crémant, Coteaux du Layon and Anjou Blanc.
The flagship parcel, known as La Chapelle, is regarded as the finest on the estate. Its blue schist and quartz soils favour natural drainage and protection from frost, while its south-western exposure provides ideal sunshine. La Chapelle overlooks the Layon river, whose morning fog encourages the development of noble rot, producing the naturally concentrated grapes required for the estate's top Bonnezeaux wines.
Harvesting is carried out entirely by hand, with multiple successive passes through the vineyards to select grapes at optimal maturity.
Wines
The domaine produces wines across several appellations:
- Bonnezeaux — the estate's flagship, including the prestige La Chapelle cuvée
- Coteaux du Layon
- Anjou Blanc — dry white from Chenin Blanc
- Anjou Rouge and Anjou-Villages — from Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet d'Anjou — rosé
- Rosé d'Anjou — from Grolleau
- Crémant de Loire — sparkling wine