Les Coteaux de la Gardière, family Cabernet Franc in the Loire

In Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, the Les Coteaux de la Gardière estate grows Cabernet Franc from father to son. Taken over in 2009 by a child of the vines, it gathers 15 hectares on the slopes of the La Gardière hamlet, farmed sustainably.

How would you describe Les Coteaux de la Gardière?

A family estate taken over in 2009, on the La Gardière slopes

The Les Coteaux de la Gardière estate lies in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, on the slopes of the La Gardière hamlet. The winegrower farms 15 hectares of Cabernet Franc there, sustainably. First an employee of the family estate, he took over its reins in 2009.

I grew up in the vines, like my father, Daniel, like my grandfather, Robert, before us, and like my children, who join me whenever they can.

Three generations have thus watched over the same slopes, and a fourth is already trying its hand. Transmission is not a word here, it is the daily life of the estate.

When did you catch the wine bug?

The vines as a playground, from the very first steps

The passion does not date from one precise day. It goes back to the first steps, in a family life set to the rhythm of the vines. His parents, both winegrowers, would take the children to work, one eye on the rows, one eye on them.

Our family life was set to the rhythm of the vines. For my parents, it was normal to take us into the vineyard to work while keeping an eye on us: it was our playground.

From that playground came a craft, then a calling: to make these Loire slopes speak in his turn.

What philosophy guides your work in the vines and the cellar?

Everything is decided in the vines, even before the cellar

The winegrower's conviction is clear: quality is decided first in the vineyard. The cellar extends the work of the vines, it does not replace it.

A good wine begins in the vine. You have to care for it and tend it through the seasons, taking into account its terroirs, its exposure to the sun, its age. The technical work of my cuvées starts in the vines.

This attention to the age of the vines takes on its full meaning on a hundred-year-old plot, from which the estate draws one of its most striking cuvées.

Which wine best represents your estate?

The Centenaire cuvée, born of hundred-year-old vines

The cuvée that best embodies the estate is called Centenaire, after those vines planted a century ago.

I would say our Centenaire cuvée. It is a cuvée where the vines have been there for a hundred years. You can sense aromas of wild berries. It is powerful and structured. It reflects its terroir.

An ageworthy wine of character, which the winegrower likes to share among friends and which finds its favourite match with a fine cut of red meat.

How did your range come together?

From the first bottling to the terracotta amphora

Bottling the estate's own cuvées began in 2016. After a first "Coteaux de la Gardière" cuvée, the winegrower created Centenaire in 2021, then Franc Soi in 2022, each with its own character. The range also includes a blanc de noirs, Pandore.

In 2023, I received my first terracotta amphora, from Italy, to vinify the wine in it. It was a great moment for me, a mark of innovation and technical achievement.

Each cuvée tells a stage, between loyalty to Cabernet Franc and a wish to explore new vessels.

Why follow Les Coteaux de la Gardière?

A family Cabernet Franc, looking to the future

Following the Les Coteaux de la Gardière estate means supporting a winegrower who turned a family inheritance into a living project, from soil work to the bottle.

His range is now complete, and his ambition comes down to one word: expansion, in France and, one day, abroad. A story of Loire slopes to follow, vintage after vintage.

Explore the cuvées of Les Coteaux de la Gardière directly from the estate, at estate prices, through the short supply chain on Avenue des Vins.

Frequently asked questions about Les Coteaux de la Gardière

Where is the Les Coteaux de la Gardière estate located?

The estate is in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, on the slopes of the La Gardière hamlet, in the Loire Valley.

Which grape does Les Coteaux de la Gardière grow?

The estate grows 15 hectares of Cabernet Franc, farmed sustainably. It also makes a blanc de noirs, the Pandore cuvée.

Since when has the family run the estate?

The winegrower took over the family estate in 2009, after growing up in the vines farmed by his father Daniel and his grandfather Robert.

What are the cuvées of Les Coteaux de la Gardière?

Among the cuvées are Centenaire, from hundred-year-old vines, Franc Soi, and the blanc de noirs Pandore.

Which dish pairs with the Centenaire cuvée?

Powerful and structured, it is enjoyed among friends and pairs especially well with a fine cut of red meat.