The Menthon vineyard
The vineyard at the foot of the castle may seem surprising today, but it is part of an ancestral landscape.
The rocky limestone spur of Menthon, facing south, offers a particularly favorable soil for wine growing. Although the vineyard of Menthon was already attested to in the 13th century at the foot of the castle, René de Menthon made it a full-fledged activity by adding a bit of fantasy to it.
The arrival of phylloxera in Savoie in 1877, caused an upheaval in this culture. The diseased vines were uprooted and burned. Here again, René de Menthon undertook a complete project. He abandoned the old vines planted in disorder (called “en foule”), in favor of a plantation called “en terraces”, with buttresses.
In 1905, he had an outbuilding built on the basis of an old winery building, complete with a dwelling for the winemaker. The cultivation of the vine continued for some time and then gradually ended until it disappeared completely in the 1930s.
In order to give meaning back to the landscape by respecting a mastered activity and know-how, the de Menthon family created, in 2017, the association “Le clos du château”, allowing the re-establishment of the vine at the foot of the castle by the biodynamic process. Beyond the reappearance of the vines, it is also a matter of making available to the public and in particular to schoolchildren, an educational device highlighting the rural history of our region.
Clos du château
Overlooking the village of Menthon-Saint-Bernard, the hillsides of the castle have been planted with vines since time immemorial, and this until the Second World War. Towards the end of the 19th century, waves of phylloxera (aphids) decimated the vines, causing their disappearance.
In 2017, the de Menthon family decided to bring these vines back to life through an ambitious project. It is a question of reintroducing them at the foot of the castle but also of making available to the public and in particular to schoolchildren, an educational device highlighting the rural history of our region.
THE ASSOCIATION “CLOS DU CHÂTEAU”
The aim of the association is to re-plant vines at the foot of the castle by helping Florent Héritier, a winegrower and farmer in Frangy, who was naturally chosen for his know-how as well as for his punctual actions in the field.
The first botles are available at the castle shop.
Join the Clos du Château
WHY JOIN ?
Becoming a friend of the association will :
Will allow you to follow the activities of this association, created by 24 members, whose mission is to re-plant vines at the foot of the Château.
Will allow you, each year, to be the sponsor of a numbered vine.
Will invite to the General Assembly, without voting rights.
Entitle you to participate in all collective actions carried out “in the field”.
Give privileged access to all events organized by “Clos du Château” (harvest festival, gala evening…).
Gives the right, on the day of the AGM, to a 5% discount on two boxes of wines produced by Florent Héritier, our winegrower.
HOW TO JOIN ?
For that, it is necessary to:
To pay the annual fee: fixed at 30 € for 2024.
To communicate us: your name and postal address, as well as your Internet address (indispensable condition). Please note that the “Clos du Château” will not communicate by post.
Participation forms are available from the members of the association.
To register with the persons in charge of the treasury of the “Clos du Château” by filling in the membership form and sending it to
Mr André MARINONI
853 route de Ramponnet
74290 Menthon St Bernard
