The estate owns a 19 million yer old parcel

There is a parcel at Chateau de France called “Coquillat” (50 ares), that is filled with fossils from its surface down through to the vineyard’s roots.
The former existence of a prehistoric sea in this area is confirmed by these marvelous fossils. They have played an important role in the evolution of our planet’s composition. Over thousands of years, these traces of ancient organisms, helped to create of this remarkable terroir.
The Coquillat site in Leognan is an example of the Burdigalian era, dating back to up to 20 million years, as explained in 1892 by Charles Deperet, a geologist and paleontologist at the French Academy of the Sciences.
The shells found in the vineyard of Chateau de France show that the Bordeaux area benefited from a tropical climate.

Château Coquillas Red

It is difficult to remain unmoved by these rare traces of history, for the process of fossilization is a mean feat in itself. The future fossil has to escape from biological agents (bacteria) and atmospheric agents (oxygen). Over time, rocks can also change in terms of shape and structure, thereby damaging the fossils inside. It is only after they have escaped from destruction, when covered by sediments or under water, that these fossils reappear millions of years later, thanks to erosion.

Château Coquillas White