Château de Bois-Brinçon

Tradition and respect for the soil in Anjou!

The oldest vineyard in Anjou is celebrating its 800th anniversary this year! And today, it is Géraldine and Xavier Cailleau who are at the helm of the Château. A fifth generation that looks after the 22 hectares of vines wonderfully. With perseverance, passion, and a lot of know-how, the Bois-Brinçon Château offers us wines of great complexity, with exceptional aromatic finesse and moreover, they become more beautiful with time.

The story of the Bois-Brinçon Château

After the French Revolution of 1789, several families passed on the torch to maintain the grounds of the Bois-Brinçon Château, south of Angers. For the record, Bois-Brinçon Château is one of the oldest vineyards in Anjou, its history would have begun in 1219.
Years after this Revolution, Léon Cailleau bought the château in 1891. The family thus flourished for many decades, they took the opportunity to extend their vineyards.
But in the 1950s, the Bois-Brinçon Château suffered 3 frosts in 6 years, which weakened the vineyard but also the finances. To try to make up for this shortfall, Xavier's grandfather had the idea of ​​planting apple trees on the Clos des Cosses. It should be noted that in 1990, the Bois-Brinçon Château was divided into two farming: 23 hectares of apple trees and 22 hectares of vines.
It was in 1991 that one of the grandchildren, Xavier Cailleau, wanted to become a winegrower and bring the Château's vines up to date. Xavier then takes over the estate with his wife, Géraldine Cailleau, who will help him and intervene on the marketing of the wines and on the administrative side.
Together, they begin experiments year after year to understand the need for the soils on the lands they occupy. Xavier was then inspired by the Hérody method from the 2000s. This Herody method is a very naturalistic approach, it is a study of the soil which aims to understand the functioning of the earth to act favorably on its evolution by adapting the techniques cultural.
A work rewarded in 2006, after several years of working the soil, with the greatest respect for the environment, they are certified organic. It's a good return for the Cailleau family, the succession is successful.

The Loire Valley soils

The Bois-Brinçon Château vineyard is wide in the Loire Valley, so it offers a great diversity of soils but also requires a lot of rigor and work. Xavier and Géraldine Cailleau are passionate and respectful of their environment, so they want to listen to the rhythm of nature, to preserve the diversity of fauna and flora. This is also why they have the organic farming label and biodynamics.
The involvement and the work they have put into the study of the soils in recent years, allow them today to produce wines from the soils. Red wines, white and sparkling wines, where the expression of Chenin, Cabernet franc and Pineau d'Aunis is simply magnified by Xavier Cailleau.
Always in a philosophy of ecology and transformation of waste, Xavier Cailleau preserves the marc of grapes to make compost.
In biodynamics, as we know, the only products used are made from natural ingredients. In order to stimulate the natural defenses of the vines, Xavier and Géraldine then make herbal teas based on thyme, wicker, nettle, for their benefits, and also make a decoction for its therapeutic virtues.
Always with the aim of developing this diversity and including nature in their vines, Xavier Cailleau of Bois-Brinçon Château uses Highland Cattle throughout the vineyard. It's a Scottish breed of cattle that allows you to find a beautiful natural balance in this landscape.
A harmonious natural whole between landscape, animal presence, diversity of soils which allows the vine to flourish fully and thus produce grapes of incomparable quality.

The wines of  Bois-Brinçon Château

The Bois-Brinçon château offers a fine range of wines. There are therefore wines from great soils and localities, improbable bottle, century-old bottles. With a diversity like that and an 800-year history, the wines can only reflect the respectful work of Xavier and Géraldine Cailleau.
Anjou Terre de Grès 2020 is a 100% Chenin, fermented and aged in barrels between one and three years old for a nice result. A white wine of great aromatic, mineral and fresh finesse. Fermentation takes place in barrels. It will be followed by ageing, also in oak barrels for 1 to 3 years, with stirring if necessary.
Crémant de Loire 2019 is a sparkling wine with a beautiful Chenin bubble with a gastronomic profile thanks to its roundness and generous fruit. The first fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats with temperature control. Then restarting the second fermentation on the sugars of the grapes. No expedition liquor is added. Brut nature will wait between 15 and 24 months on slats before being marketed.
Anjou Le Clos des Cosses 2019 is a white wine, vinified and aged in conical barrel tuns. Chenin from a magnificent terroir composed of ostracaceous marls. A juice that is both fresh and fruity but accompanied by a very nice roundness. A very fine gastronomic wine!
Garance 2020 is a 100% Pineau d'Aunis or Chenin Noir. An old Loire variety that Xavier and Géraldine have kept with this bottle from 80-year-old vines. A short maceration is carried out for 8 days. The wine is then aged in vats for 10 months to extract a delicate juice, with fine tannins and the spicy and peppery aroma specific to this magnificent grape variety.
Anjou Blanc Les Saules de Montbenault 2016 is a magnificent Chenin, complex and slightly oxidative. Minerality and freshness gain in complexity and intensity over time. Fermentation takes place in 400 liter barrels followed by aging in the same barrel.
At epi-curieux.com we love the finesse and complexity of the juices of Bois-Brinçon Château, a fine reference in the Loire to be tested without further delay.