La Jarnoterie

We have known Jean-Claude and Françoise Mabileau and their family for over 20 years. Jean-Claude is the fourth generation to make wine at La Jarnoterie and is acknowledged by the leading independent French wine guide Hachette for the consistently high quality of his wine. His daughter Carine and her husband Didier Rezé - the fifth generation - are both fully involved in the winemaking and running of the domaine.

La Jarnoterie, with its welcoming chai is surrounded by neat, well-tended vines, but it is the family cellar, the Caves de Cochamtorille, that will captivate your imagination. We will never forget our first visit. Jean-Claude leapt enthusiastically into his car and drove off into his vines. We just managed to keep up. Suddenly he was gone - swallowed up by a gaping hole that seemed to appear from nowhere in the low escarpment. We switched on our headlights and followed. Eventually we came to a large turning area, at the sides of which loomed large wrought iron gates. Ahead, the family cellar where the current vintage was gently maturing in the traditional chestnut barrels, to the left a magnificent private banqueting chamber dominated by a huge circular stone table and overlooked by an enormous fireplace. This is where we dine when we visit the vineyard during the fête du vin!