Our story

COLLEGIALE was set up as an Economic Interest Group (GIE) in 1986 and became a Limited Liability Company (SARL) in 1988. It was created by 15 winegrowers from Anjou-Saumur wishing to unit to share common means and salesforce to export their wines.

They joined forces to capture at first the English and Dutch markets bringing samples and doing business specialised fairs (eg. Loire Valley wine fair, Vinexpo, London Wine fair,…).

COLLEGIALE moved to Le Puy Notre Dame in the Saumur area in 1993 to increase its offices surface and get a first storage and logistic warehouse. Then, it continued to grow according to the company evolution. Thus, bewteen 2000 and 2016, COLLEGIALE has made several extensions of its offices and warehouse to go from 300 to 2 500 m².

As this location is in the heart of Loire Valley and close to many winegrowers partners, it was also more appropriate for the supply management.

Exportation requires important human and financial investments in a long term, so the business has been developped simultaneously in the French market.

Over time, the range has been widen up with wines and estates from the whole Loire Valley. The team also has grown up to be able to answer the increasing demands from French and International markets.

Nowadays, with 11 employees, COLLEGIALE remains owned and managed by the founders or sometimes their successors: the second generation.

Well-structured from a commercial, administrative and logistic point of view, the company has become a key operator for Loire Valley wines sales in France and abroad; being considered as a great specialist within its markets.

COLLEGIALE combines professionalism from a famous and solid structure and know-how and passion from winegrowers.

COLLEGIALE means a "group", so naturally the founders chose this name reflecting their idea of union, their motto being "Strength through unity".

When they settled in Le Puy Notre Dame it proved it was a wise choice as the village has a wonderful listed "collegiate" church.