Ideally located on the right bank of the Thouet, the 16 hectares of Domaine Fabien Duveau are distinguished by remarkable terroirs whose excellent plots adjoin the most famous vineyards in the region. Established for 8 generations in Chacé, the property is surrounded by its plot. To the north, we find the Varrains plateaus on which the Cabernet Francs express fruit and precision. To the east, Les Poyeux, legendary terroirs of Saumur Champigny, where we grow Cabernet Franc and surprising Chenins. To the south, the clay-limestone subsoils typical of Saint-Cyr en Bourg and Brézé give tension, finesse and minerality to the Chenins and Cabernet-Francs that were planted there.

Being as close as possible to the terroir, to its truth, is Fabien’s ambition. Since 2008, a major reflection has been carried out on strategic choices: doing everything possible so that the different terroirs of the estate best express their identities, their realities.

Heirs to a long family history, our approach is traditional: the vineyard and winemaking reflect a natural balance respecting the spiritual, moral and material heritage of past generations. Also, quite naturally organic farming, although obvious, leads us today to the biodynamic approach...

Key points in the vineyard:

• Natural grass cover,
• Biodiversity cluster marked on each plot
• Presence of hives
• Reimplantation of more than 1000m of hedges
• Sowing of plant cover produced on the estate
• Promote polyculture and self-sufficiency of the estate
• No input other than the compost made on the estate
• Eco grazing on certain plots
• Biodynamic work…

Key points in the cellar:

• Very precise work on the harvest date (the most important)
• Manual harvest
• Sorting grapes in the cellar
• Vinification without inputs (native yeast) and without sulphites
• Majority of concrete vats
• Traditional winemaking with mainly infusion
• For natural white vinification in underground cellars (barrels or terracotta jars)
• Maximization of work by gravity