Our Story

Everything began in 1947, on the lands of Sèvre and Maine, at the foot of the Moulin du Pé… It was in La Bronnière, a small village in the commune of Loroux-Bottereau, where Rogatien Marchais developed his vineyard with his wife Marie-Francine.

The couple was well-supported. Alain, Rogatien’s brother, and his wife Paulette (Marie-Francine’s younger sister) assisted them in the vineyard work. With their charcuterie business, this enterprising couple had built a strong reputation in the Nantes region, and after the Petite Hollande market, they would join Marie-Francine and Rogatien at the Domaine de la Bronnière.

A family vineyard, but above all, a story of passion. A love for the vine that would be passed on to Rogatien’s sons, Jean-Claude, and especially to his youngest, Philippe, who would take over the family business in 1987.

A FAMILY STORY

A Passion for the Vine

travail du sol village bronniere
The Key Figures

Marie-Francine & Paulette Valade

The VALADE Sisters

Rogatien Marchais

Founder

travail-du-sol

Alain Marchais

rogatien’s brother

Philippe Marchais

Winemaker AND MANAGER

Jean-Claude Marchais

CO-FOUNDER OF MARCHAIS FRÈRES
1947

The Birth

Rogatien invested a small sum of money in a vineyard plot in the village of La Bronnière in Loroux-Bottereau. A date that would mark the beginning of a long-lasting passion…”
1987

The Winery Expands

The entrepreneurial spirit of his uncle and his father’s passion would definitively influence Rogatien’s youngest son, Philippe, who, after his studies, decided to continue his father’s venture.
The 1990s

Full Growth

Understanding the soils around him and highlighting the terroir in his wines; for Philippe, wine must have a soul, tell a story. He expanded his vineyard across the Loire, to Thouaré-sur-Loire
2006

International Reach

His elder brother, Jean-Claude, a former salesperson in the wine industry, begins to develop the export wine trade. Marchais wines and many other references are marketed abroad.

2007

The Outline of a New Vintage

Philippe falls under the spell of the vineyards of the Bois Blot estate in Mauves-sur-Loire. A beautiful encounter with the owner of this property seals the fate of this plot, which, a few years later, will give birth to a communal vintage: Champtoceaux.
2009

Marchais Frères

The two brothers decide to combine their expertise and together create Marchais Frères with the aim of promoting the wines of their Domaine and those of their winemaker friends.
2023

A New Adventure

Today, the Marchais Vineyard encompasses over 25 hectares of vines spread across 3 terroirs, with 15 cuvées and a team of 10 people.
The Terroirs