Savennières is not a huge appellation, it has around 150 hectares planted with vines. Within this denomination, two very prestigious crus have long been recognized, the Roche-aux-Moines and the Clos de la Coulée de Serrant. These crus are at the heart of the appellation, the vines cascading down shale slopes within the small valleys (or coulées as they are known) that descend to the Loire. The vines are bathed daily in the fresh Ligérian light, the wines they produce are among the most remarkable in the entire Loire Valley. Their fame is such that both eventually, at the beginning of the 21st century, received their own denominations.
The larger of these two "inland" appellations is Savennieres Roche-aux-Moines, representing some 35 hectares with a dozen vignerons, each with its own plot of vines, some of them tiny. The largest plot belongs to the Domaine aux Moines, owned by Tessa Laroche.
With its central location on Roche-aux-Moines and its vast vineyard, the history of the Domaine aux Moines is, in essence, the history of Roche-aux-Moines itself. The estate was founded in 1981, although there is evidence of vineyards planted in the region since the Middle Ages, when the monks of the Abbaye de St. Nicolas tended the vines in the area. Domaine Aux Moines was founded by Madame Monique Laroche, a true force of nature, and is now managed by her energetic daughter Tessa Laroche. The estate comprises 12 hectares of Chenin Blanc planted on south and south-west facing slopes with uneven soils composed of shale with some sandstone and clay which tend to produce a siliceous and drier style Chenin Blanc which can age at long.
Both mother and daughter have always recommended a natural approach to work in the vineyard and in cellar practices. Thanks to the diligent efforts and meticulous work of Tessa and her team, the domaine obtained organic certification from Eco-cert in 2011. All processing is done by hand including the harvest which takes place slowly over a few weeks. The wines are all fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in a combination of vat and cask (220 and 400 litres, mostly used), with usually 65-75% vat and the rest in wood. Bottling is done about 15-16 months after the harvest, even if the cellar keeps one or two old vintages for our benefit.
