Clos de la Dioterie AOC 2011

An old-school Chinon: powerful, firm and yet transparent. Over the years, the primary fruit has largely faded, giving way to tobacco, leather and sous-bois, along with mint, a touch of green pepper, beans and a nutty bitterness.

The Clos de la Dioterie is the estate's most famous vineyard, already mentioned in the Middle Ages, when it was still fully enclosed by walls. The fairly flat parcel lies not far from the Vienne, right next to the estate. The topsoil is characterised by clay, while the subsoil is dominated by limestone and mica. The vines are 90 to 100 years old.

Pure Cabernet Franc, 13.5% vol., vinified dry. Ten days of cold pre-fermentation maceration at 10 °C, followed by around four weeks of maceration in wooden vats at no more than 21 °C. After alcoholic fermentation, the free-run wine and the best press wines are blended for malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged for 15 to 16 months in French oak barrels, of which around a fifth are renewed each year, then rests for a further six months in tank before bottling.

Fairly full-bodied, with a subtle sweetness of extract and a tannin that, typical of the vintage, reveals a hint of green. The mature fruit lends a silky texture, while a present acidity runs through the wine and keeps it upright.

Charles Joguet took over the family estate in 1957 and began vinifying each parcel separately instead of blending the grapes. Today the estate farms 35 hectares, 30 of them planted with Cabernet Franc. Cellar master Kevin Fontaine has worked at the estate since 2006; malolactic fermentation has taken place in barrel since 2008. The hand-hewn tuffeau cellars vary by less than half a degree over the course of the year.