What makes a life-long Francophile and perfume lover, with fantasies of living in the Loire Valley, sit up and take notice? A fragrance entitled Vie de Château…commissioned by a modern-day count no less — the Comte de Cheverny. Perfumer Patricia de Nicolaï’s aromatic take on aristocratic country living contains notes of: grapefruit, hay, tobacco, patchouli, musk, fern, cut grass, oak moss, vetiver, and leather.
Vie de Château starts off powerful and sweet with notes of grapefruit (think grapefruit lollipops), hay, and to a lesser extent, dried tobacco leaf. It has a “blonde,” sugary, sunny feel. A clean patchouli and minimalist musk are the next notes to appear (within five minutes of application) and they do little to lessen the fruity sweetness of Vie de Château. I do not find the ‘greens’ at all noticeable in this perfume — fern, oak moss, grass and vetiver are barely there. The leather is not apparent either, but Vie de Château is a great layering scent — add your own spice, leather or black tea fragrances to it for added dimension and variety…
