HISTORY OF DOMAINE: The Tijou family has a long history as "viticulteurs" in the Loire Valley region near Angers. In fact, they have practiced their craft, father to son, since 1780. The actual Domaine de la Soucherie was purchased from the Marquis de Brissac in 1952. At the time almost all the wine produced at the Domaine was sold to the negociant firm of Nicholas. Pierre-Yves Tijou, the current proprietor, took over the management of the estate in 1969 and began to bottle a portion of the production. Today, the entire production is estate-bottled.

COMPOSITION OF DOMAINE: The Domaine de la Soucherie is composed of 30 hectares of vineyards, four of which are within the highly coveted area of "Chaume" and 1.80 of which are within the confines of the Savennieres appellation in the "Clos des Perriers". Approximately 18.5 hectares of the domaine is planted to Chenin Blanc; there are also 7 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc; and there are small parcels of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Gamay. Four seperate cuvees of Coteaux du Layon are produced: the Coteaux do Layon Beaulieu is produced from vines of 30 years average age; the vineyards within Chaume are planted to vines 35 years of age with yields of about 25 hectolitres per hectare [c. 12,000 bottles per annum]; the Coteaux du Layon "Vieilles Vignes" comes from a series of special vineyard sites where some vines are in excess of 100 years of age with yields of 20 hectolitres or less per hectare [c.10,000 bottles per annum]. The "Clos des Perrieres" vineyard in Savennieres was purchased prior to the 1988 vintage. The vines therein are approximately 30 years of age although there have been some new plantings since the acquisition); yields are around 45 hectolitres per hectare; and total annual production ranges between 7,200 to 9,000 bottles. Total production at the estate is between 60,000 to 75,000 bottles per year.

 METHOD OF VINIFICATION: Treatments in the vineyards are kept to an absolute minimum as the objective is to produce a wine in as natural a manner as possible. All grapes are harvested manually. The prime parcels of Chenin Blanc are harvested by a series of passes through the vineyards in order to obtain grapes of ultimate ripeness and to maximize the potential for "noble rot". The grapes are destemmed and crushed by a modern pneumatic press. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel under temperature control. The whites are usually bottled in June of the year following the harvest. Tijou believes his wines are "vins de garde" and benefit from considerable bottle age. In comparing the Chaume and Vieilles Vignes cuvees, he finds the Charmes to have a higher level of acidity with slight bitter notes to the finish; the Vieilles Vignes is fruitier and fatter with a touch more finesse. In great vintages, when weather permits an extremely late harvest, the "Cuvee de la Tour" is produced - a cuvee fermented and aged in small oak barrels producing a luscious nectar of power and complexity.