Domaine Richou: Vineyards
Domaine Richou was located in a hamlet named Chauvigné, on the road between Mozé-sur-Louet and Denée. As such it lies close to the course of the Aubance, which passes Denée just before it drains into the Louet, a distributary of the Loire. This places the domaine within the Coteaux de l’Aubance appellation, directly north of some of the more famous communes of the Layon, such as Beaulieu-sur-Layon and Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay, but still very much part of L’Anjou Noir, with predominantly schistose and other volcanic rocks beneath the feet. The town of Brissac-Quincé, the heart of the Anjou Brissac appellation, lies just a few kilometres to the east.
The domaine covered 30 hectares, and before the sale Didier and Damien were pushing it towards organic viticulture, and were incorporating biodynamic methods. The soils between the rows of vines were enherbée, while that beneath the vines is worked in order to control weeds. The vines were pruned using the double Guyot method, with some variation depending on whether it was Chenin Blanc or one of the other varieties that were feeling the cut of the secateurs.
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