Château de l'Oiselinière

Château de l'Oiselinière is a historic wine estate (domaine viticole) located in the commune of Gorges, in the Loire-Atlantique department of western France. The property was a seigneurie before the French Revolution, with records in the chartrier dating back to 1335, and its lands once extended across the communes of Gorges and Clisson, held feudally from the lords of Clisson and Le Pallet. Over 643 years the seigneurie changed hands only four times: first known owner Maurice le Meignen, then in 1460 Claude Grézeau (a descendant by marriage), whose family sold it in 1613 to Jean Goulet de la Fosse of Nantes; Louis de La Bourdonnaye acquired it in 1658; and in 1767 it was sold to the ancestors of the Aulanier family. In 2006, Georges Verdier and his family purchased the château de l'Oiselinière and became its owners. Vines have been cultivated at l'Oiselinière since time immemorial. Parchment leases from 1337, 1471, 1505 and 1546 are preserved there, and a parchment dated 1635 is the first known document to mention the name "Muscadet". It records that Jean Goulet de la Fosse of Nantes leased to several individuals of the parish of Gorges a parcel of 78 boisselées called "Les Grands Gâts", dependent on the land of l'Oiselinière, to be planted with white Muscadet vines. This makes the estate a landmark in the history of Muscadet wine. During the Second World War the property was a major centre of the Resistance, with the Aulanier family paying a heavy price. General Louis-Alexandre Audibert (1874–1955), a Resistance figure and deputy for Loire-Inférieure, retired to the château after his political career and spent the last nine years of his life there. In 2016 the château served as the main setting for the episode "Retour à Nantes" of the television series Le Sang de la vigne. The dwelling is an Italianate villa built between 1822 and 1835, set around a courtyard surrounded by outbuildings constructed in 1800 by Jean-Baptiste Bertrand-Geslin, future mayor of Nantes. The villa, the outbuildings and the orangery were listed as monuments historiques by decree of 14 November 1997. The park was laid out between 1807 and 1809. The Galerie des Illustres is composed of busts of illustrious men, probably sculpted by Debay. Today the estate operates as a wine-producing domaine, continuing a viticultural tradition documented for centuries.

The property of l'Oiselinière was a seigneurie before the French Revolution. It is recorded in the chartrier's "Actes" as early as 1335, and its lands extended over the communes of Gorges and Clisson, held feudally from the lords of Clisson and Le Pallet. Over 643 years the seigneurie changed owners only four times. The first known owner was Maurice le Meignen; in 1460 it passed to Claude Grézeau, a descendant by marriage. The Grézeau family sold the seigneurie in 1613 to Jean Goulet de la Fosse of Nantes. Louis de La Bourdonnaye acquired it in 1658. In 1767 the seigneurie was sold to the ancestors of the Aulanier family. In 2006, Georges Verdier and his family purchased the château de l'Oiselinière and became its owners. Vines have been cultivated at l'Oiselinière since time immemorial. Parchment leases from 1337, 1471, 1505 and 1546 are preserved there. A parchment dated 1635 is the first known document to mention the name "Muscadet"; it records that Jean Goulet de la Fosse of Nantes leased to several individuals of the parish of Gorges a parcel of 78 boisselées called "Les Grands Gâts", dependent on the land of l'Oiselinière, to be planted with white Muscadet vines. During the Second World War the property was a major centre of the Resistance, with the Aulanier family paying a heavy price. General Louis-Alexandre Audibert (1874–1955), a Resistance member and deputy for Loire-Inférieure, retired to the château after his political career and spent the last nine years of his life there. In 2016 the château served as the main setting for the episode "Retour à Nantes" of the series Le Sang de la vigne. The dwelling is an Italianate villa built between 1822 and 1835, on a courtyard surrounded by outbuildings built in 1800 by Jean-Baptiste Bertrand-Geslin, future mayor of Nantes. The villa, outbuildings and orangery were listed as monuments historiques by decree of 14 November 1997. The park was laid out between 1807 and 1809. The Galerie des Illustres is composed of busts of illustrious men, probably sculpted by Debay.

• 2016

  The château is the main setting for the episode "Retour à Nantes" of Le Sang de la vigne.

• 2006

  Georges Verdier and his family purchase the château de l'Oiselinière.

• 1997

  The villa, outbuildings and orangery are listed as monuments historiques by decree of 14 November.

• 1822

  The Italianate villa is built (1822–1835).

• 1807

  The park is laid out (1807–1809).

• 1800

  Outbuildings are built by Jean-Baptiste Bertrand-Geslin, future mayor of Nantes.

• 1767

  The seigneurie is sold to the ancestors of the Aulanier family.

• 1658

  Louis de La Bourdonnaye acquires the seigneurie.

• 1635

  A parchment lease is the first known document to mention the name "Muscadet".

• 1613

  The Grézeau family sells the seigneurie to Jean Goulet de la Fosse of Nantes.

• 1460

  Claude Grézeau, a descendant by marriage of Maurice le Meignen, becomes owner.

• The seigneurie of l'Oiselinière is recorded in the chartrier's "Actes".

Historic Loire-Atlantique wine estate with a documented link to the earliest known mention of the Muscadet name.

• Muscadet white wine

1. 1Château de l'Oiselinièrefr.wikipedia.org
2. 2Château de l'Oiselinièrewikidata.org
3. 3Site officielloiseliniere.com