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Gentle Hillsides
History of Freres Couillaud
Our heritage
The Nantais Vineyards
The Ocean Breeze

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The wedding cask

A long tradition of wine-growing. It was the Romans who introduced the vine to the area around Nantes. The principles for winemaking locally were laid down in the sixth century by Saint Martin de Vertou and since that time the Nantais vineyards have witnessed continuous expansion.

The Wedding cask

During the last century, the Nantes winegrowers would keep back a "wedding barrel" for drinking on important occasions, a barrel which they did not rack. The wine was discovered to be more lively, more aromatic and slightly sparkling. Vinification sur lie (on the lees) is based on the same principle: the wine is matured all winter on its yeasts and draws nourishment from them. It also retains its carbon dioxinde: the resulting tiny bubbles pleasantly tickle the palate.