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2016 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
Charles JoguetWhen Charles Joguet took over the family vineyards in 1957, he set out to do something that was unheard of in the Loire Valley. Rather than blending all the fruit from his varied parcels, he opted for a more Burgundian approach and began vinifying each individually, highlighting Chinon’s diversity of soils and exposures and playing with the nuances of vine age to propose a gamut of different wines of unique character.
It is in this spirit that the domaine’s current vigneron, Kevin Fontaine, crafts the cuvée Les Petites Roches, named for the estate’s gravelly terroirs. Given light treatment in the cellar, this wine shows off Cabernet in its most delicate, charming form, rife with aromas of roses, damp earth, and little red berries, along with a gentle tannin holding it all together. Enjoy this classic representation of Cabernet Franc from Chinon with roast chicken, pork chops, or game.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2016 |
Bottle Size: | 1.5L |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Chinon |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Charles Joguet |
Winemaker: | Kevin Fontaine |
Vineyard: | 35 years average, 11.73 ha |
Soil: | Siliceous alluvial sand, Limestone |
Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2019 Chinon “Clos de la Dioterie”
France | Loire
Age-worthy red from one of Chinon’s top sites, by a storied domaine.
2017 Chinon Blanc “Clos de la Plante Martin”
France | Loire
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.
2020 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
France | Loire
With floral aromas and fine-grained tannins, it already showcases its charms.
2020 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
France | Loire
Even though all of the wines hail from Chinon, the soil, elevation, and exposition all combine to make Le Clos Guillot their cuvée with the most finesse.
2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
France | Loire
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 “Les Petites Roches” Blanc
France | Loire
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 “Les Petites Roches”
France | Loire
Showing off Cabernet in its most delicate, charming form, rife with aromas of roses, damp earth, and little red berries.
2022 Chinon Rosé
France | Loire
One of the first rosés Kermit imported, this wine has been consistently delicious for four decades.
2020 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
France | Loire
This is the grandest bottling of Cabernet Franc from one of Chinon’s most outstanding producers.
2020 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
France | Loire
January Adventures ~ The perfect combination of tart red fruit, herbaceousness, and graphite earthiness.
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
2017 Chinon Blanc “Clos de la Plante Martin”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Les Cris”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Chinon Blanc
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2019 Vouvray “Le Portail”
Champalou France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Rosé
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2019 Chinon “Clos de la Dioterie”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Savennières
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2021 Quincy
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Racines”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2017 Chinon Blanc “Clos de la Plante Martin”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Les Cris”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Chinon Blanc
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2019 Vouvray “Le Portail”
Champalou France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Rosé
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2019 Chinon “Clos de la Dioterie”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Savennières
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2021 Quincy
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Racines”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
You don’t have to be rich to cellar a great wine.