Notify me
Greats of Chinon
3-Pack Sampler

The most serious Chinon cuvée from three of Touraine’s historic winemaking families
Today, we spotlight the most serious Chinon cuvée from three of Touraine’s historic winemaking families. Each is crafted from organic grapes grown in chalky tuffeau soils, a terroir known to give rise to the appellation’s finest and longest-lived wines. While these dignified Cabernet Francs will mightily reward those who choose to cellar them, there is nothing wrong with diving in early to appreciate the caliber of Chinon’s greats today.
2012 Chinon “Saint Louans” • C. & P. Breton $49.00
Known for pioneering biodynamic farming and natural winemaking in the Loire Valley, power couple Catherine and Pierre Breton also have deep roots in the region with a family history of producing legendary wines from top vineyard sites. Pierre’s side of the family has long owned land in Chinon and neighboring Bourgueil, and he has been known to uncork dusty bottles from the 1960s and 70s of stunning freshness and complexity. This Saint Louans, from a sloping parcel of clay and limestone, seems destined to go down the same path: delicious already with aromas of pepper, earth, and rich black fruit, it has a chalky tannin that will allow it to age beautifully.
2013 Chinon “La Croix Boissée” • Bernard Baudry $44.00
Bernard Baudry and his son Matthieu have earned a reputation not only as one of Chinon’s most traditional producers, but as one of the appellation’s most talented and consistent. With holdings scattered about the AOC, they cover a range of styles, and La Croix Boissée is always their darkest, chewiest, most full-bodied red. From a south-facing slope of sandy clay over white tuffeau, the wine was aged for two years in barrel and bottled unfiltered. Cabernet Franc rarely achieves such a mouth-filling intensity.
2013 Chinon “Clos de la Dioterie” • Charles Joguet $54.00
The Joguet name is synonymous with terroir-driven winemaking in Chinon, as founder Charles spearheaded a parcel-by-parcel approach to vinification, highlighting the effects of soil type and vine age. La Dioterie is a plot on tuffeau that enjoys a long, slow ripening thanks to its cooler, northern exposure. It is consistently the domaine’s most powerful wine: vines up to 85 years old give a thick and concentrated red with a track record of long aging. Saturated with ripe fruit and grippy tannins, it needs hearty, rustic cuisine such as game to show its best today.
Greats of Chinon: 3-pack Sampler
Normally $147.00
SPECIAL SAMPLER PRICE
$125
(a 15% discount)
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | sampler |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Appellation: | Chinon |
Country: | France |
Normally $147.00 SPECIAL SAMPLER PRICE $125.00 |
More from this Producer or Region

2020 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
France | Loire
A lovely combination of Grolleau Noir and Cabernet Franc, there seems to be a synergistic effect elevating both grapes to create a juicy, spicy, refreshing whole.

2023 Saumur Mousseux “Bulles de Roche”
France | Loire
This sparkling wine has decadently rich, honeyed fruit and a nice dollop of buttery brioche.

2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
France | Loire
Fine, with bright acid, sleek silkiness, and great length, it is the most elegant of all of Thierry’s red wines.

2015 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
France | Loire
Given light treatment in the cellar, this wine shows off Cabernet in its most delicate, charming form.

2022 Sancerre “Les Cris”
France | Loire
Simply gorgeous, the Cris is sublimely perfumed, generous on the palate, and long and saline on the elegant finish.

2020 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
France | Loire
Intensely dry and mineral, the structured Les Arceaux is a bottle to pair with a meal rather than to drink as an apéritif.

2021 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.

2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
France | Loire
Fresh and punchy Cabernet Franc from fun-loving Catherine and Pierre Breton. Light, juicy, and ready to go. Drink young, drink chilled, drink plenty.

2019 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
France | Loire
A lovely combination of Grolleau Noir and Cabernet Franc, there seems to be a synergistic effect elevating both grapes to create a juicy, spicy, refreshing whole.

2023 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
France | Loire
Powerful, cellar-worthy dry Chenin aged in chestnut, oak, and acacia.
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
2022 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2024 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Terres”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
Loire Valley Wine Route Sampler
12-Bottle Sampler France | Loire
Sampler Includes:
2023 Vin de France Brut “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?” • Catherine & Pierre Breton $25.00
2023 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte” • Eric Chevalier $22.00
2023 Quincy • Domaine Trotereau $27.00
2023 Vouvray • Champalou $28.00
2023 Pouilly-Fumé “Vieilles Vignes” • Régis Minet $34.00
2023 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé • Domaine de Reuilly $24.00
2023 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes” • Domaine de la Chanteleuserie $18.00
2023 Chinon “Les Granges” • Bernard Baudry $27.00
2023 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau • Catherine & Pierre Breton $29.00
2023 Sancerre Rouge • Daniel Chotard $40.00
2022 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes” • Domaine des Roches Neuves $42.00
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray” • Grange Saint Sauveur $49.00
Normally $363.00
SPECIAL SAMPLER PRICE $269.00
(a 25% discount)
2023 Menetou-Salon Blanc “Le Prieuré”
Prieuré de Saint Céols France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2015 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
Champalou France | Loire
2021 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Beaux Monts”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2023 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
Château d’Epiré France | Loire
2023 Sancerre Rouge
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2024 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Terres”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
Loire Valley Wine Route Sampler
A glimpse into the quintessential vigneron lifestyle of the Loire
2023 Menetou-Salon Blanc “Le Prieuré”
Prieuré de Saint Céols France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2015 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
Champalou France | Loire
2021 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Beaux Monts”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2023 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
Château d’Epiré France | Loire
2023 Sancerre Rouge
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
You don’t have to be rich to cellar a great wine.