Les Varennes du Grand Clos AOC 2011

Wine Description for Les Varennes du Grand Clos AOC 2011 by Charles Joguet

Colour & Appearance

Transparent garnet red with brick-coloured rim – a wine that carries its eleven years of maturity with grace whilst maintaining a pleasing clarity.

Nose

Subtle and multi-layered, this Chinon reveals red and green fruits, ink and liquorice. These are joined by herbs, bay leaf and that characteristic Cabernet Franc signature of lightly charred green and red peppers. Nuances of blood and cigar box lend the bouquet an agreeable complexity.

Palate

Juicy and well-balanced on the palate, the wine displays refined tannins that, after more than a decade, remain remarkably youthful. The fruit aromatics of raspberries, cherries and blackberries are accompanied by subtle tomato and pepper notes – vintage-typical green accents that never dominate. The structure is transparent and clear, perhaps not quite as complex as the renowned neighbouring Dioterie, but with wonderful drinkability.

Terroir & Origin

The vineyard site Les Varennes du Grand Clos lies between the left bank of the Vienne and the Clos de la Dioterie. The flat vineyards are characterised by sandy-loamy and sandy-gravelly soils over limestone. The vines come partly from plantings between 1962 and 1976, with some over 80 years old.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pure Cabernet Franc, vinified with cool pre-fermentation at 10 °C and four weeks of maceration in wooden vats at a maximum of 21 °C. The blend of the finest free-run and press wines matures for 15 to 16 months in French oak (one-fifth renewed annually), followed by a further six months in tank for harmonisation.

Food Pairing Suggestions

An ideal companion to grilled lamb rack with Provençal herbs, duck breast with cherry sauce, beef steak with green peppercorns or aged goat cheeses from the Loire region.

Special Features

A prime example of the longevity and elegance of high-quality Loire Cabernet Franc. After eleven years, the 2011 displays impressive freshness and structure – a wine that still possesses considerable development potential.