Domaine Les Roches: Vineyards
The domaine is located on the eastern edge of the town of Beaumont-en-Véron, on the D118; here there is a ridge, running east-west, of yellow tuffeau from the upper Turonian. There is a shallow layer – just 20 centimetres deep in places – of superficial soils, beneath which is the limestone. The ridge is encrusted with vines, 3.5 hectares of which belong to Domaine Les Roches, which is located on its northern side.
Of the vines planted, 3.25 hectares are Cabernet Franc, with an average age of 60-70 years, while just 0.25 hectares is planted to Chenin Blanc. These latter vines clock in at an impressive 120 years, making them some of the oldest vines in the entire Loire Valley. These Chenin Blanc vines are planted on their own roots and propagated by marcottage; it may be that the sandy soils overlying the limestone shields the vines from the phylloxera louse, but it is probably more important that the connection between the parent vine and its offspring is left intact in order to maintain the health of the younger vines.
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