Chinon Les Varennes du Grand Clos Charles Joguet 2004

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Chinon Les Varennes du Grand Clos Charles Joguet 2004

La «cuvée»

The cuvée "Les Varennes du Grand Clos" comes from a plot of Cabernet Franc on a clay-limestone soil where the vines are 35 years old. The wine is aged for 19 months, 12 months of which takes place in barrels of 3 wines. On the nose, it reveals aromas of fresh red fruit, which are then found on the palate. It has a superbly dense substance, is structured, slender and has a long-lasting taste. Drink after 3 or 4 years although it can also be kept for up to 10 years.

Since its founding by Charles Joguet in 1957, the estate has sought to provide an exquisite showcase for the terroirs of Chinon, based on a simple idea: wine as an expression of its region. Alongside his mother, the Widow Joguet-Malécault (whose initials feature on the foil cover), Charles Joguet produced his first cuvées. Between 1962 and 1976, the vineyard was extended through several different plantations: Les Varennes du Grand Clos, the Clos de la Cure, and the Clos du Chêne Vert. Today, it covers more than 30 hectares (mostly planted with Cabernet Franc) spread across more than 25km, with a wide variety of terroirs (alluvial soil, gravel, clay, limestone, etc.). The soil is tilled or seeded with grass, yields are restricted and harvesting performed by hand, using small crates to avoid crushing the grapes. In the cellar, élevage lasts for a long time and sometimes takes place in bigger barrels so as to not overpower the wines with oak. Producing Cabernet Franc only, today the estate is run by Jacques Genet (the estate's owner and partner of Charles Joguet in 1985) and his daughter Anne-Charlotte. The Clos de la Dioterie, famous for its soil and the age of its vinestocks (80 years), is the domain's flagship, yet all its wines are of a high quality and rank among Chinon's finest.