Domaine de la Noblaie — the wines we carry

François served as a lecturer in oenology at the local wine school, mentoring numerous young Loire winemakers and contributing greatly to the development of Loire Valley wine. In 2003, his son Jérôme Billard—who honed his craft at esteemed estates such as Petrus in Pomerol—took the helm of the domaine. He remains dedicated to continuously elevating quality while respecting the distinct character of each terroir and vintage.

Nearly all of the domaine's vineyards are situated adjacent to the winery, encircled by lush woodlands that naturally protect the vines. Perched near the crest of a southeast-facing basin, the vineyards are sheltered from surrounding weather patterns, creating a distinct microclimate. The soils are predominantly "Tuffeau"—a sedimentary limestone deposit—overlaid with clay, which imparts richness, structure, and exceptional aging potential to the wines. Of the total 2,300 hectares of vineyards in Chinon, approximately 98% are planted to Cabernet Franc, with less than 50 hectares dedicated to Chenin Blanc. However, this historic estate proudly owns 5 hectares of prized Chenin Blanc and 19 hectares of Cabernet Franc. Because the vast majority of the parcels adjoin the winery, the team can constantly monitor vineyard conditions, allowing for meticulous care and prompt responses, creating ideal conditions for organic farming. Driven by the philosophy that the only way to elevate wine quality is through strict yield management, they rigorously perform green harvesting and cluster thinning. All harvesting is done entirely by hand; rather than picking everything at once, grapes are gathered selectively according to their precise ripeness. For Cabernet Franc, harvesting is carried out in two to three passes across late- and early-ripening parcels. Since Chenin Blanc is prone to uneven ripening, the grapes are carefully evaluated bunch by bunch and harvested across four separate passes.

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