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Our Heritage

What binds and guides us

More than sixty years ago, Émile Gerbault and twenty-four visionary winegrowers chose to unite around a shared idea: Quality would be the future of wine.

By working together, they built far more than a simple production tool. They created a living House, a genuine place where everyone matters—winegrowers, employees, families—all driven by the same passion, often passed down from generation to generation. It is this collective and human spirit that remains today the beating heart of Maison Laudacius.

Why “Laudacius”?

Our name is a tribute to our roots.

Long ago, Montlouis-sur-Loire was known as Mons Laudatus, named after a wealthy Roman who once lived on these lands.

From this ancient history, we have preserved both its spirit and its pride. Laudacius is our nod to that past—our anchor in a unique and precious terroir.

Today, we are the leading producer of the Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC, the birthplace of Chenin Blanc, our emblematic grape variety.

Whether crafted as sparkling, dry, or sweet wines, each cuvée reflects a faithful expression of our terroir and our expertise.
Chenin is our origin, our signature, our passion.

A legacy

More than a history, our legacy is a promise:
to keep ancestral expertise alive, to celebrate an exceptional terroir, and to pass on—with sincerity and passion—the soul of Chenin, vintage after vintage.

Maison Laudacius Through the Decades

1891 – The Beginnings.

The winegrowers’ association is founded. Winegrowers unite to combat downy mildew and powdery mildew, and to protect their vineyards by grafting grape varieties resistant to phylloxera.

1938 — Official recognition.

Established in 1938, the Montlouis-sur-Loire appellation originated from a split between winegrowers on the two banks of the Loire: those on the right bank, in Vouvray—generally from the local bourgeoisie—and those on the left bank, with a more rural character, who refused to be included in the Vouvray appellation created in 1936.

1947 — A legendary vintage.

This exceptional year firmly established Montlouis-sur-Loire in the history of the Loire Valley’s great wines.

1961 — Unity is strength.

Driven by Émile Gerbault, the cooperative winery is founded.
It embodies the solidarity and shared vision of the winemakers of Montlouis.

2008 — Opening to the world.

The rise of wine tourism led to the creation of a new reception and tasting area, as well as the enhancement of our troglodyte cellars.

2013 — Modernization and momentum.

The production site is expanded and modernized, driven by the growing enthusiasm for the Montlouis-sur-Loire appellation.

2021 — A new lease of life.

The winery becomes Maison Laudacius: winemakers and more, asserting a strong identity, faithful to the history and the land that shaped it.

2026 — The renaissance of Chenin.

With “Maison Laudacius: Origin Chenin,” we celebrate our flagship grape variety through a sensory wine experience, CHROMATIC, an immersive journey dedicated to the senses and to discovering Chenin in all its nuances.