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2021 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
Charles JoguetThe Cuvée Terroir is one of the great everyday reds in our portfolio, right up there with Dupeuble’s Beaujolais, Fontsainte’s Corbières, and our Côtes du Rhône. Here, the Terroir’s Cabernet Franc telltale combination of tart red fruit, herbaceousness, and graphite earthiness makes this wine the perfect accompaniment for just about any meal, and the more casual the better.
As a testament to the quality and consistency of this wine, here’s Kermit’s endorsement from 20 years ago about the 2000 vintage:
What a rich, explosive bouquet! Can you dig it? Did Joguet throw some strawberries into the fermentation vat? And never fear, the palate sustains the incredible level of quality. It is delicious, an absolutely gorgeous, multi-dimensional wine.
Joguet has delivered a wonderful bunch of wines over the years, but never such pure drinking pleasure. I should have ordered it in magnums, so I would not have to pull corks so often. It is a new peak, largely because it is so sumptuous. It’s a treat, and it is to drink young.
I think that about sums it up. And despite the winemaker describing this as “Full, sensual, even voluptuous,” he also suggests that it is to be served a bit cool. Try it on for size yourself.
—Dustin Soiseth
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Chinon |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Charles Joguet |
Winemaker: | Kevin Fontaine |
Vineyard: | 10.52 ha, 30 years average |
Soil: | Siliceous alluvial sand |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2023 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!”
2022 Chinon Rosé
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One of the first rosés Kermit imported, this wine has been consistently delicious for four decades.
2020 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
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With floral aromas and fine-grained tannins, it already showcases its charms.
2020 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.
2021 Chinon Blanc “Les Charmes”
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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.
2020 Chinon “Clos de la Dioterie”
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Age-worthy red from one of Chinon’s top sites, by a storied domaine.
2018 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.
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.
2021 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.
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.
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 “Cuvée Alouettes”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2023 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Vin de France Rouge Cabernet Franc “Huguette”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Chinon “Les Granges”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2018 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
Champalou France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Chinon Blanc “Les Charmes”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2023 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Vin de France Rouge Cabernet Franc “Huguette”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Chinon “Les Granges”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2018 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
Champalou France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Chinon Blanc “Les Charmes”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Great winemakers, great terroirs, there is never any hurry. And I no longer buy into this idea of “peak” maturity. Great winemakers, great terroirs, their wines offer different pleasures at different ages.
Inspiring Thirst, page 312