A new life, a return to my roots
After a career in technology, I wanted, as I approached fifty, to pursue work closer to the land. My friendship with a man who had followed a similar path and already made that change opened the way to my own winegrowing venture.
Buying vines in Montcaret, Dordogne, also reconnected me with my family history. My great-great-grandparents owned farmland in the Nantes region. Becoming a landowner myself gave this new chapter a particular meaning.
Today, that story continues among the Merlot and Cabernet Franc vines, on the clay-limestone soils of Montcaret. A personal venture, rooted in the vineyard and the rhythm of each vintage.
Explore our story, wines and contact details in our three-page brochure.
Download the brochure
Sébastien Chotard
Winegrower
La Doussinière, a name that connects past and present
La Doussinière is the name of a locality in Sucé-sur-Erdre, in the Nantes region. Choosing it for my estate came naturally: it connects my family roots with this new adventure in Dordogne.
I named my first wine L'Originel for the same reason. The name expresses a return to my roots, a renewed connection with the land and the desire to build something of my own upon it.
Fruit, freshness and balance guide this venture. I want to share them through wines that find a natural place at the table.
The clay-limestone soils of Montcaret
The estate is in Montcaret, Dordogne, close to Saint-Émilion. Merlot and Cabernet Franc grow here on clay-limestone soils, in the winegrowing landscape of Périgord.
Our old vines and these two grape varieties are the foundations of our work. Each vintage offers a different expression, guided by the same search for fruit, freshness and balance.
The soil
The clay-limestone soils of Montcaret are the common foundation of the estate's wines. This is where our vines grow and where the story of every vintage begins.
The vintages
The character of our wines evolves from year to year. Each wine sheet details the blend, harvest, winemaking and serving advice for that vintage.
The heart of the estate
Our old vines, planted in 1955, are at the heart of the estate's identity. Their history began long before I arrived in Montcaret; my venture continues the story of this vineyard.
Merlot and Cabernet Franc make up our organic red wines. Their proportions vary with each vintage and are specified in our wine sheets.
- Grape varieties: Merlot and Cabernet Franc
- Old vines: planted in 1955
- Organic farming
- Terroir: clay-limestone soils of Montcaret
In the heart of Périgord
Montcaret enjoys a privileged setting between the vineyards of Saint-Émilion and the hillsides of Bergerac, beside the Dordogne. A region where a millennia-old winegrowing history meets contemporary expertise.
15 km from Saint-Émilion
30 km from Bergerac
Dordogne Valley
Careful work, with respect for the fruit
Winemaking takes place in stainless steel tanks, with around three weeks of maceration. After malolactic fermentation, the wines age in concrete tanks until bottling.
These choices support the estate's signature: red wines that put fruit and balance first. Harvest and bottling dates are listed on each wine sheet.
Our approach in the cellar
- • Winemaking in stainless steel tanks
- • Around three weeks of maceration
- • Ageing in concrete tanks
- • No oak ageing
Ageing in concrete tanks
Ageing in concrete tanks is a choice shared by all the estate's wines. With no oak influence, fruit remains at the heart of their expression.
Ageing continues until bottling. Each wine sheet traces the wine's journey, from harvest to bottle.
Duration: at the pace of each vintage, until the desired balance is reached
Firm convictions
Organic farming
Vines cultivated organically
Purity of fruit
Concrete tank ageing to let the grapes express themselves
Balance
Fruit, freshness and a natural place at the table
Discover our wines
L'Originel, L'Authentic and L'Essentiel: wines that express our terroir with precision and elegance.
Explore our wines