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2020 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
Charles Joguet

Deep, dark herbal aromas announce a muscular palate, boldly delivering a delightful burst of red fruit along with tannic structure. Did I say Petites Roches had a long finish? Well, this one goes on for days. Try it with farm-fresh beef and olive sauté.
—Emily Spillmann
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Chinon |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Charles Joguet |
Winemaker: | Kevin Fontaine |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1962 to 1976, 4.61 ha |
Soil: | Siliceous chalk & clay |
Aging: | Wine ages in oak fûts for 15-16 months, depending on the vintage, after racking, the finished wine rests assembled in cuve for two months before bottling |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

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.

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.

2021 Chinon Rosé
France | Loire
One of the first rosés Kermit imported, this wine has been consistently delicious for four decades.

2019 Chinon “Clos de la Dioterie”
France | Loire
Age-worthy red from one of Chinon’s top sites, by a storied domaine.

2016 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
France | Loire
Given light treatment in the cellar, this wine shows off Cabernet in its most delicate, charming form.

2020 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
France | Loire
The perfect combination of tart red fruit, herbaceousness, and graphite earthiness.

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 Petites Roches” Blanc
France | Loire
Bone dry and perfectly chiseled, this zesty Petites Roches blanc will serve you well alongside a wide range of seafood from raw oysters to seared scallops to grilled sea bass.

2017 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Réserve”
France | Loire
When you smell it, keep in mind that no other wine, besides a Melon de Bourgogne grown in the gabbro soil of Gorges, could possibly smell like this one does.
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
2022 Bourgueil Rosé
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2017 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2018 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
Champalou France | Loire
2016 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2019 Bourgueil “Nuits d’Ivresse”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Chinon Rosé
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
Touraine “Fines Bulles”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2019 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
Château d’Épiré France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Rosé
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2017 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2018 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
Champalou France | Loire
2016 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2019 Bourgueil “Nuits d’Ivresse”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Chinon Rosé
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
Touraine “Fines Bulles”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2019 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
Château d’Épiré France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
If you're looking for value, look where no one else is looking.
Inspiring Thirst, page 211