To mark International Chocolate and Cocoa Day, the Domaine de Rocheville team invites you to an evening of wine and chocolate pairing on Tuesday 3 October 2023, from 7pm to 9pm. Do not miss “Fou de Chocolat” ! (“Crazy about chocolate”)

Fou de chocolat: a gourmet and convivial evening

Can wine and chocolate really go together? If you’re not convinced by the combination of the two, come and give it a try.

After the success of the last “Fou de Chocolat” evening two years ago, the event is back!

Philippe Porché, winemaker at Domaine de Rocheville, and François Godineau, artisan chocolatier at La Duchesse Anne, will be your hosts for an evening of gourmet delights and discovery.

World Chocolate and Cocoa Day

The initiative to create this day came from the World Cocoa Organisation, which establishes “Cocoa Day” on the first of October each year. This day was created to highlight the millions of farmers who produce around 4.5 million tonnes of cocoa every year. This celebration was then extended to the entire chocolate industry, and the Académie Française du Chocolat et de la Confiserie took charge of its promotion and dissemination in France.

World Chocolate and Cocoa Day brings together producers, manufacturers, chocolate merchants and craftsmen for a gourmet celebration showcasing all the players in the industry.

Wine and chocolate pairing

Once again this year, the entire Domaine de Rocheville team has come up with a number of surprises for your taste buds. 

Philippe Porché, the winemaker at Domaine de Rocheville, has brought out seven old vintages of his finest wines from the estate’s troglodytic cellar, selected especially for the occasion.

At the same time, François Godineau, owner of La Duchesse Anne pastry and chocolate shop in Saumur, has come up with seven chocolate creations for each of the wines, to create some surprising and delicious wine-chocolate pairings!

During the tasting, Philippe Porché will introduce you to the selected wines, their terroir, and the secrets of their vinification and ageing. Discover exclusive vintages of fruity, aromatic wines aged in oak barrels, with all their finesse and roundness. 

La Duchesse Anne’s chocolate maker will also explain the chocolates he has chosen and created for each cuvée.

Wine and chocolate lovers, gourmets and epicureans alike will take away unforgettable memories of this evening!

Famous names in Saumur

La Duchesse Anne, Saumur’s emblematic patisserie

Founded in 1842 by Pierre Pallu, La Duchesse Anne patisserie has been nurturing traditional, gourmet expertise ever since. 

In 2010, François Godineau, an artisan pastry chef and chocolatier, took over from his parents, continuing the family tradition and expertise. Favouring regional products, the patisserie emphasises taste and authenticity.

La Duchesse Anne produces around twenty different chocolates, available in dark and milk versions: crunchy pralines (Le Saumur), melt-in-the-mouth chocolates (Le Normand), crunchy or original chocolates. The house is also renowned for its ganaches (a mixture of cream and chocolate) with subtle flavours such as vanilla (Palais Or), raspberry, Combier or coffee (La Courbette).

Everything is made on site, including the interiors, whether ganaches or pralines.

A century and a half after its creation, La Duchesse Anne continues to build on the expertise of the first pastry chefs, while at the same time innovating thanks to the new generations. The team is constantly on the lookout for new flavours and creative chocolate combinations.

After 2019 and 2021, this is the third year that François Godineau will be hosting the Fou de Chocolat evening with Philippe Porché.

Exceptional wines in the heart of the Saumur Champigny vineyards 

Created in 2004, Domaine de Rocheville is a producer of Loire wines located in Parnay in the Maine-et-Loire department. It owns 17 hectares of vines on clay-limestone soil. 

Using Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc grapes, it produces a range of wines from still and sparkling dry white wines to rosés and reds in the Saumur Blanc, Crémant de Loire, Saumur Rosé and Saumur Champigny appellations. 

A blend of tradition and modernity, the estate combines traditional winemaking methods with modern, high-performance equipment to ensure the best expression of the Chenin and Cabernet Franc grape varieties.

Certified Organic, the development of biodiversity and environmental protection are an integral part of the winery’s philosophy.

The wine tourism team welcomes you throughout the year to taste the estate’s wines and visit the production areas (eco-responsible winery, ageing rooms) and troglodytic cellars. 

Numerous food and wine events are organised in the large panoramic room, such as the “Fou de Chocolat” evening, as well as several temporary art exhibitions.

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Practical information

Date: Tuesday 3 October 2023

Times: from 7pm to 9pm

BY RESERVATION ONLY

Soirée Fou de Chocolat: how to get there

Domaine de Rocheville is located in Parnay, Maine-et-Loire (49), 8 kilometres from Saumur, an hour’s drive from Angers and 50 minutes from Tours.

Access is via the Route des Vins and then the Chemin de Béniquet.

The building is fully accessible to people with reduced mobility.

Prices and booking

Single price: €15 per person for 7 amazing wine and chocolate pairings

You can buy your tickets for the “Fou de Chocolat” evening:  

• In person at the Saumur, Montsoreau and Doué-la-Fontaine Tourist Offices
• Online at the Saumur-Val-de-Loire Tourist Office ticket office

Places are limited, so don’t waste any time booking your tickets!

For more information, contact us on 02 41 38 10 00 or by e-mail.