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2016 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
Charles JoguetFirst and foremost, this wine is delicious. But it is also complex and elusive—does fruit (cherry and blackberry) lead the way? Or does something darker and more mysterious (pine, earth, graphite...) bring the fruit along? My glass seemed to deliver a different answer with every sip.
Generous and versatile with food, this is a wine that teases the mind while rewarding the palate—a remarkable balance for this price.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2016 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Chinon |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Charles Joguet |
Vineyard: | 10.52 ha, 30 years average |
Soil: | Siliceous alluvial sand |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13% |
More from this Producer or Region
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2022 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” Blanc
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A delightfully lean and bright blanc from Charles Joguet that leaves me yearning to exclaim, “This smells like a green apple picked fresh from a lemon tree!”
2020 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
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January Adventures ~ The perfect combination of tart red fruit, herbaceousness, and graphite earthiness.
2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
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Chinons from Joguet are known for their firm minerality, but this one is quite charming as well, with plummy black fruit, myrtle, and notes of warm licorice.
2022 Chinon Rosé
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2017 Chinon Blanc “Clos de la Plante Martin”
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The singularity and beauty of Chenin Blanc really shines with a bit of age, which is what makes this wine so special to enjoy now.
About The Producer
Charles Joguet
About The Region
Loire
The defining feature of the Loire Valley, not surprisingly, is the Loire River. As the longest river in France, spanning more than 600 miles, this river connects seemingly disparate wine regions. Why else would Sancerre, with its Kimmeridgian limestone terroir be connected to Muscadet, an appellation that is 250 miles away?
Secondary in relevance to the historical, climatic, environmental, and cultural importance of the river are the wines and châteaux of the Jardin de la France. The kings and nobility of France built many hundreds of châteaux in the Loire but wine preceded the arrival of the noblesse and has since out-lived them as well.
Diversity abounds in the Loire. The aforementioned Kimmderidgian limestone of Sancerre is also found in Chablis. Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur boast the presence of tuffeau, a type of limestone unique to the Loire that has a yellowish tinge and a chalky texture. Savennières has schist, while Muscadet has volcanic, granite, and serpentinite based soils. In addition to geologic diversity, many, grape varieties are grown there too: Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Melon de Bourgogne are most prevalent, but (to name a few) Pinot Gris, Grolleau, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis, and Folle Blanche are also planted. These myriad of viticultural influences leads to the high quality production of every type of wine: red, white, rosé, sparkling, and dessert.
Like the Rhône and Provence, some of Kermit’s first imports came from the Loire, most notably the wines of Charles Joguet and Château d’Epiré—two producers who are featured in Kermit’s book Adventures on the Wine Route and with whom we still work today.
More from Loire or France
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2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
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2022 Jasnières
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2022 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
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2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
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2022 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” Blanc
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé
Domaine de Reuilly France | Loire
2022 Cheverny Rosé
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
Domaine des Roches Neuves France | Loire
2022 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2021 Bourgeuil “Cuvée Beauvais”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2020 Bourgueil “Nuits d’Ivresse”
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
When buying red Burgundy, I think we should remember:
1. Big wines do not age better than light wine.
2. A so-called great vintage at the outset does not guarantee a great vintage for the duration.
3. A so-called off vintage at the outset does not mean the wines do not have a brilliant future ahead of them.
4. Red Burgundy should not taste like Guigal Côte-Rôtie, even if most wine writers wish it would.
5. Don’t follow leaders; watch yer parking meters.
Inspiring Thirst, page 174