The Dinocheau family has tended vines in Monthou-sur-Cher, a small commune on the Cher River in the Touraine appellation, for five generations. When Laurence and Fabien Dinocheau took over the estate in 2006, they inherited a 13-hectare property with history in its soils and began the long work of converting to organic viticulture. Today the domaine is in active conversion, farming the first hillsides above the Cher with a commitment to reducing and eventually eliminating synthetic inputs.
Touraine's Quiet Terroir
The Cher Valley sits at the eastern edge of the Touraine appellation, where the Loire tributaries create a patchwork of limestone hillsides, clay-flint plateaus, and alluvial valley floors. Vignoble Dinocheau's 13 hectares span both Chenonceaux and Touraine designations, and the varieties grown here, Chenin Blanc, Cot (Malbec), Gamay, and Cabernet Franc, reflect the full range of what Touraine does best. Chenin in particular thrives on the limestone-rich soils, developing the kind of honeyed, tense mineral character the Loire Valley is famous for.
Traditional Styles, Honest Farming
Vignoble Dinocheau produces red wines, dry whites, roses, and sparkling wines, including a pet-nat style that draws on the Loire's long tradition of bottle-fermented bubbles. The winemaking reflects the family's respect for the land and its traditions: minimal additions, low-intervention cellar work, and a focus on varieties that express the site rather than the winemaker's preferences. The domaine's sparkling Cuvee des Arcis has been a consistent highlight of the portfolio.
A Family Commitment to the Future
The conversion to organic farming at Vignoble Dinocheau is a generational project, requiring patience, investment, and a long view. Laurence and Fabien are doing that work because they believe the land that supported five generations of their family deserves the same care it gave them. These are honest, uncomplicated Loire wines from people who understand the valley deeply and farm it with genuine respect.
