CHÂTEAU YVONNE LOIRE, FRANCE

Founded in 1997, Château Yvonne, located in Parnay in the Loire Valley, has been surrounded by vineyards since the Middle Ages. (The château dates to the 16th century, but not much became known of it until 1813 when a local winemaker moved in & began producing wine on site.) In 2007, Mathieu Vallée took over & decided to keep the name Château Yvonne, in homage of the incredible work done by the previous owners who had recreated the abandoned vineyard. Today, Matthieu Vallée has taken his place as one of the leading producers & the domaine is one of the best in Saumur. The vineyards are spread out amongst over 30 different small parcels, with many of the best vineyards located in “La Côte”, or the plateau next to the church of Parnay overlooking the Loire River. The estate is composed of 27 acres of vines, all of which have been farmed organically since 1997, with biodynamic practices since 2012.