Chinon Les Charmes Charles Joguet 2019

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.