Château Yvonne, 2024 Update
The vineyards of the plateau above the settlements of Parnay, Le Marconnay and Souzay-Champigny, on the left bank of the Loire, played a huge role in the growth of Cabernet Franc in the Saumur region, and in the development of the Saumur-Champigny appellation. It was here that Antoine Cristal (1837 – 1931) built the Clos d’Entre les Murs, where today Cabernet Franc is still grown against rows of thick stone walls, eleven all told, themselves located within a walled enclosure. Père Cristal, as he was also known, was a fierce proponent of Cabernet Franc ahead of Chenin Blanc, and is arguably responsible for the former variety’s modern-day dominance in this region.
Situated just around the corner from the Clos d’Entre les Murs, where else but on the Rue Antoine Cristal, is Château Yvonne. Its history is not so well described as the historic clos; while it dates back to (at the very least) the 16th century, little or nothing is known of who worked here at this time. And despite having been witness to many years of viticultural activity, the arrival of phylloxera and the many trials that came after it – other new vineyard diseases, war and economic decline – meant that by the middle of the 20th century the cellars had been abandoned. This was the state of the domaine when it came to the attention of Yvonne and Jean-François Lamunière, who acquired the property.
Thus in 1997 Château Yvonne – the cellars rechristened in honour of the newly installed proprietor – was born, and Yvonne Lamunière quickly breathed life into her acquisition. Somewhat ironically given the domaine’s location, and Antoine Cristal’s predilections, the estate began producing predominantly white wines, made with consultation from François Foucault.
Yvonne stayed only ten years before putting her creation on the market, and this was when Mathieu Vallée took over the running of the domaine. With time the vineyard shifted more to red varieties, as Mathieu acquired new parcels in Champigny and elsewhere. The standing of the estate rose, which was amplified in 2019 by the completion of new cellars, built from sustainable materials with enhanced thermal inertia, accompanied by the installation of new temperature-controlled equipment.
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