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2017 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
Charles JoguetDeep, dark herbal aromas announce a muscular palate, boldly delivering a delightful burst of red fruit along with tannic structure. Did I say Petites Roches had a long finish? Well, this one goes on for days. Try it with farm-fresh beef and olive sauté.
—Emily Spillmann
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2017 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Chinon |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Charles Joguet |
Winemaker: | Kevin Fontaine |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1962 to 1976, 4.61 ha |
Soil: | Siliceous chalk & clay |
Aging: | Wine ages in oak fûts for 15-16 months, depending on the vintage, after racking, the finished wine rests assembled in cuve for two months before bottling |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13% |
More from this Producer or Region
2021 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
France | Loire
The perfect combination of tart red fruit, herbaceousness, and graphite earthiness.
2019 Chinon “Clos de la Dioterie”
France | Loire
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.
2020 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.
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.
2020 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
France | Loire
The perfect combination of tart red fruit, herbaceousness, and graphite earthiness.
2020 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
France | Loire
With floral aromas and fine-grained tannins, it already showcases its charms.
2022 Chinon Rosé
France | Loire
One of the first rosés Kermit imported, this wine has been consistently delicious for four decades.
2020 Sancerre Rouge “Le Chant de l’Archet”
France | Loire
The Chotards are some of the lucky few who have Sancerre parcels that are ideal for growing Pinot Noir, and theirs have been planted to Pinot for well over fifty years, so the vines are at full maturity.
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 Sancerre
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
Champalou France | Loire
2022 Pouilly-Fumé “Vieilles Vignes”
Régis Minet France | Loire
2022 Chinon Rosé
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Coteaux du Loir Blanc
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2020 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Chardonnay
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil “Irène”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2022 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé
Domaine de Reuilly France | Loire
2022 Sancerre HALF BOTTLE
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2022 Savennières
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2022 Sancerre
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
Champalou France | Loire
2022 Pouilly-Fumé “Vieilles Vignes”
Régis Minet France | Loire
2022 Chinon Rosé
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Coteaux du Loir Blanc
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2020 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Chardonnay
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil “Irène”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2022 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé
Domaine de Reuilly France | Loire
2022 Sancerre HALF BOTTLE
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2022 Savennières
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171