Clos des Capucins: Vineyards
The Clos des Capucins is located to the west of the town of Chinon and its Royal Fortress. It is not always immediately obvious how to access domaines tucked away in this corner of the town, but the aforementioned Couvent des Calvairiennes which sits at the foot of the slope (and which was converted into high-class apartments in 2010) is the marker for where you turn off the main road.
The clos is home to four parcels of vines all situated on the land around and below the château. Fiona Beeston tells me there are 1.3 hectares of cultivatable land here, although only approximately 1 hectare is currently planted, as at the time of my visit Fiona had just pulled up a small section of old vines in readiness for replanting.
The smallest plot lies below the château, and it is just next to this parcel that the entrance to the old scullery is to be found. These vines are aged between 90 and 100 years, and have been useful as a source of material for sélection massale in preparation for replanting.
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