Domaine de la Noblaie Property Page

Jerome Billard doesn’t make your father’s Chinon. After work at both Chateau Petrus in Bordeaux and Dominus in California, two of the world’s most prestigious estates, who would expect him to turn out Cabernet Franc like anyone else in the area?

Domaine la Noblaie is one of the oldest family estates in the Chinon appellation. With 18 hectares of holdings on hillside vineyards in Ligré, the property sits at almost the highest altitude in the entire AOC with commanding views over the river and the 600 year-old Chinon fortress. To say that Noblaie is a magical place doesn’t even come close to doing it justice.

This hillside has been producing fruit for wine production for almost 400 years but that doesn’t mean that the wine-making methods are ancient.

The property is owned and run today by Francois Billard, an oenologist and former professor of viticulture. Many of todays’ hottest winemakers were his former students including the immensely-talented Vincent Ogereau. However, after his son Jerome wrapped up the afore-mentioned internships in Bordeaux, California, and Australia, Francois has handed over most of the winemaking responsibilities to his extremely able son.

The Chinon rouge from the property is a case study in the balance between power and elegance, spice and softness, and fat and acidity. Named for a parcel on the property, “Les Chiens-Chiens”, the red is produced from 40-80 year old vines of Cabernet Franc. A rarity in the appellation, la Noblaie also produces a stunning Chinon blanc which resembles a top flight Montlouis with beautiful freshness and often mineral complexity. Only a small amount is allocated to the United States.