On the Road with the Grape Guy
Chinon : Impressed or Not Impressed
10 Oct 2024- Details
- Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
OCTOBER 2023 ... The excitement for this tasting was palpable; but then it started … but first a little Chinon by the numbers.
A breakdown of vintages, based on wines we will be tasting.
2017 - riper than 2016
2018 - standard vintage
2019 - no wines appeared in our tasting from this vintage
2020 - drought, late rain
2021 - rainier than 2020, but still dry, harvest time had sun saviour of season
2022 - hail storm destroy much of the crop; but the rest of grapes were beautiful
The soils of Chinon are made up of flint, clay, limestone (tuffeau)
Up to 5% Cabernet Sauvignon allowed in the wines; but it is rarely used. It is also one of the regions of the Loire with the highest temperatures, which confuses me because of the weakness of these wines and the unripe flavours ranging from green pepper to herbal. There are 170 winemakers on this piece of land in the Loire – and yet they seem not to be taking “ripe” fruit off their vines – what gives?
Of the 37 wines, only 12 made the grade - this is a sad state of affairs for what is much considered the #1 region in France for Loire valley wines (and Cabernet Franc in particular). Until they get the vegetal and stalkiness out of the wines, I will be putting them on the back-burner when looking for Loire Cabernet Franc - there are much better regions for Cabernet Franc in the Loire Valley. This was eye-opening and highly disappointing.
The Wines That Performed …
Domaine de la Marinière 2022 La Peau de l'Ours 
Lovely nose and taste. Ripe fruit, nice silky tannins with a pretty floral note. Juicy beginning to end.
Domaine de l'R 2022 Le Canal des Grands Pièces
Juicy and appealing - a little lean on the finish, but still good. There is also a chalky finish.
Domaine de Noiré 2022 Soif de Tendresse
Dark fruit with a smoky notes and a dusty finish.
Domaine de la Marinière 2021 Arbre Mort
Raspberry and cherry - chewy and delightfully pleasing. Light across the palate. Nice complexity and a good fruit core.
Manoir de la Bellonnière 2021 Les Battereaux
Nice juiciness with plenty of ripe fruit. There are some vegetal notes that sit on the finish - but in the end the fruit shines through.
Bernard Baudry 2021 Le Clos Guillot
OK. But I wonder about the pyrazine. This one is bistro-esque and drinkable for sure.
Domaine du Saut au Loup 2021 Clos du Saut au Loup 
Drinkable … very friendly and easy to drink.
Domaine Nicolas Paget 2020 Les Quinquenays
Drinkable … Tasty and easy to drink.
Baudry Dutour 2020 Château de la Grille
Juicy and dark fruited: strawberry meets black cherry.
Domaine Grosbois 2020 Clos du Noyer
Nice fruit core: black cherry, strawberry, earthy; juicy and fresh.
Lambert Pascal et Béatrice 2018 Les Puys
Complex and interesting. Good dark fruit and smoke.
Château du Petit Thouars 2018 L'Epée
Good note of fruit; smoke with densely spiced.
