Tasting note
Chinon owes a great deal to Charles Joguet: the painter who took over the family estate in 1957 was the first in the appellation to vinify each parcel individually, following the Burgundian model. Clos du Chêne Vert is one of these vineyard sites, two hectares named after an oak tree said to have been planted by Benedictine monks in the 12th century. Today, cellar master Kevin Fontaine continues this approach; the estate has been certified organic since 2016. The 2020 vintage demonstrates why Michel Bettane described the domaine as the finest estate in Chinon.
- Colour & appearance
- Slightly translucent garnet red, clear and vibrant in the glass.
- Nose
- Expressive and remarkably open for its age: cherry, cassis and raspberry, alongside green and black olives, earth, a hint of beetroot, dark chocolate and liquorice. Dense yet never heavy.
- Palate
- Refined and powerful at once. Fine-grained tannins, a polished texture, and that juicy freshness which makes Cabernet Franc so irresistible. Dark, savoury fruit meets notes of aged meat, mushrooms, forest floor and undergrowth.
- Finish
- Long, compact, with palpable tension – a finale that promises many more years of development.
- Terroir & origin
- The clos lies on the right bank of the Vienne, not far from the centre of Chinon, rising steeply to the crest of the hill. South-facing aspect, soils of clay, light gravel and deep-lying limestone – harvest always begins here on the estate. Beneath, the wines rest in centuries-old, hand-carved tuffeau cellars.
- Grape variety & vinification
- Pure Cabernet Franc. Ten days of cool pre-fermentation maceration at 10 °C, followed by around four weeks of fermentation on the skins in wooden vats at a maximum of 21 °C. Subsequently, malolactic fermentation in barrel and 15 to 16 months’ maturation in French oak – roughly one fifth of the barrels are renewed each year – then six months in tank.
- Food recommendations
- The earthy depth and fine tannins pair beautifully with herb-crusted leg of lamb, duck breast, beef fillet with mushroom jus or a mature hard cheese. Also an excellent choice with mushroom risotto.
- Special characteristics
- An early-ripening vintage that is already accessible in its youth yet possesses genuine ageing potential. Kevin Fontaine’s advice: drink young in a Bordeaux glass, and when matured in a Burgundy glass – with time, the wine gains further complexity.
