Chinon
Overview
Chinon is the premier red wine appellation of the Touraine (Loire Valley), centered on the medieval town of Chinon at the confluence of the Vienne and Loire Rivers. The primary grape is Cabernet Franc, grown on three main soil types: gravel and sand (alluvial terraces near the river — lighter, earlier-drinking wines), tuffeau limestone (the famous yellow tuff-stone hillsides — structured, long-aging), and clay-limestone (plateau vineyards — broader-shouldered). A small amount of white Chinon from Chenin Blanc is also produced. The 2022 vintage is described by Gilman as potentially “historic” for Loire red wines.
Key Producers
- Domaine Bernard Baudry — benchmark; les Granges (sandy), les Grézeaux (50yo vines), le Clos Guillot, les Mollières; Matthieu Baudry now leading
- Domaine Olga Raffault — historic estate; les Picasses (flagship), les Peuilles, la Singulière; Sylvie Raffault and Éric de la Vigerie
- Château de la Bonnelière (Marc Plouzeau) — Vindoux l’Intégrale (1929 vines), les Cornuelles, les Lisons, le Clos des Roches Saint Paul
- Domaine de Pallus (Bertrand Sourdais) — les Pensées de Pallus, le Clos de Pallus, la Croix Boissée (95 pts), la Rougerie; 2019s outstanding
- Domaine Marc Brédif — reliable, underrated; good value
Sub-Soil Types and Their Wines
| Soil | Example | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy/gravel (alluvial) | Baudry les Granges | Light tannin, early-drinking, fragrant |
| Tuffeau limestone | Plouzeau Vindoux, Raffault les Picasses | Structured, long-aging, precise |
| Clay-limestone | Baudry les Grézeaux, Raffault les Peuilles | Broad, powerful, needs time |
Style Notes
Chinon Cabernet Franc is characterized by cassis, dark berries, black cherries, tree bark, cigar wrapper, juniper berry, and espresso, underpinned by specific soil signatures (sandy gravelly lightness; tuffeau white chalk; yellow/dark clay weight). Alcohol is typically 12–13.5% in good vintages. The best cuvées need 10–20+ years before reaching their peak.
Best recent vintages:
- 2022: Potentially historic; sappy, ripe, structured; cooler evenings preserved freshness despite warm summer
- 2021: Classic, structured, cool-fruited; needs 6–10 years; benchmark for long-aging
- 2019: Outstanding for old-vine cuvées
My Tastings
(none yet — Baudry bottles in cellar per My Cellar)
Sources
sources/articles/VFTC/VFTC May-June 2024 #111.txt— Annual Loire Report, Chinon section (pages 103–111): 25+ wines from 2023 back to 1995; five producers