The Chinon Appellation
The Chinon appellation lays claim to a history of over a thousand years. The first vines were planted by the Romans and were later cared for by monks, before gaining the patronage of French and English royalty. This rich imperial and royal heritage is one of the reasons why Chinon became one of the first French appellations to be officially recognised in 1937. That said, winemakers can also lay claim to having a part in a history that dates back some 90 million years. After all, the vineyard is rooted in a subsoil of relatively soft chalky limestone, distinguished by its yellow colour, known as tuffeau stone. Chinon is also characterised by its distinctive topography, featuring puys, limestone and sand mounds rising approximately thirty metres above the plateau. Benefiting from the confluence of the Loire and Vienne rivers, the appellation enjoys a blend of oceanic and semi-continental climates. This unique climatic influence allows the soils to warm more rapidly in spring, resulting in wines that are notably more tannic than those from neighbouring areas.
Chinon produces a diverse array of wines, including reds, rosés, and whites. The Chinon appellation mainly produces Cabernet Franc (locally known as Breton), Cabernet Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc (whose name also changes to Pineau de Loire). Here, red wines are renowned for their velvety texture, richness, and balance. Though making up a mere 3% of the vineyard area, the white wines are praised for their roundness, suppleness, freshness, and fruity character. Each year, the AOC winemakers, from estates such as Grosbois, Philippe Alliet, Charles Joguet, Les Roches (Lenoir) and Bernard Baudry, produce some 100,000 hectolitres of wine, equivalent to nearly 13 million bottles.
