Exploring Chinon's Le Chêne Vert
No.13 | Vineyard in Focus
Thanks to its rich history and having been home to royalty and nobility many centuries ago, Chinon has a wealth of highly-regarded vineyard sites, including some that are steeped in lore and have a deep historical significance that affirms this region’s long-standing history of viticulture.
Le Chêne Vert is an example of such a vineyard.
Located in the eastern part of the Chinon commune, about 1km east of the village itself, Le Chêne Vert is situated on what is often referred to as Chinon’s “première côte.” This “first slope” marks the beginning of several pockets of sloping vineyards that start in the Chinon commune and continue east into Cravant-Les-Côteaux and Panzoult. On and surrounding the première côte, we find several highly-regarded sites, each just stone’s throw from one an another, such as Clos de l’Olive, La Haute Olive, Coteau de Noiré, and Le Clos Guillot.
What is particularly interesting to note about this area is that while the vineyards here are dominated by the Upper Tu…