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2023 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
Charles Joguet
Here’s an appetizing red for the “one glass a night” set.
Night One: floral aromatics and tart red fruit—perfect with an oozy croque monsieur.
Night Two: distinctly rounder and with more body. The fruit is earthier—steak frites?
Night Three: soft and supple. Is that a mocha note? No accompaniment needed.
—Dustin Soiseth
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2023 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Chinon |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Charles Joguet |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1930 to 1940, 2.22 ha |
Soil: | White Limestone, Clay |
Aging: | Prolonged aging in 1-3 year-old barrels for 12-15 months |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

2021 Chinon Blanc “Les Charmes”
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2024 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle la vie?”
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Delicious and honest naturally sparkling Chenin, bottled with no dosage and no sulfur.

2021 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.

2024 Pouilly-Fumé “Vieilles Vignes”
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The classic Sauvignon Blanc characteristics are present, but understated—floral notes, subtle citrus, a cool grassiness—and there’s a chalkiness so textural you can feel it as you taste.

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

2021 Chinon “Clos de la Dioterie”
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Age-worthy red from one of Chinon’s top sites, by a storied domaine.

2024 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
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This wine in the Breton book is a pure old-vine Grolleau from soils of clay and silex.

2020 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
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With floral aromas and fine-grained tannins, it already showcases its charms.
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 Kimmeridgian 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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2023 Sancerre Blanc “Pierre François Xavier Vieilles Vignes”
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2024 Sancerre
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2022 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
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2020 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
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2024 Coteaux du Loir Blanc
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2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
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Vouvray Brut MAGNUM
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2021 Vin de France Blanc “Chenin Centenaire”
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2024 Chinon Rosé
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2020 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson “La Molette”
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2021 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
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2023 Sancerre Blanc “Pierre François Xavier Vieilles Vignes”
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2024 Sancerre
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
2024 Coteaux du Loir Blanc
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
Vouvray Brut MAGNUM
Champalou France | Loire
2021 Vin de France Blanc “Chenin Centenaire”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2024 Chinon Rosé
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Gros-Plant du Pays Nantais
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2020 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson “La Molette”
Domaine Michel Brégeon 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