Clos du Chêne Vert Monopole AOC 2016

A Cabernet Franc that relies not on power but on precision: discreet on the nose, floral and spicy on the palate, with firm tannic structure and alert freshness. Vinified dry, 13.0% Vol.

The Clos du Chêne Vert lies on the right bank of the Vienne, not far from the centre of Chinon, and extends up to the crest of the hill. Two hectares, steep, on clay with lighter pebbles and deep-lying limestone. It takes its name from the huge oak that defines the vineyard, said to have been planted by monks from Bourgueil in the 12th century. The southern exposure means the estate's harvest begins here.

Single-varietal Cabernet Franc. Ten days of cool pre-fermentation maceration at 10 °C, then around four weeks of maceration fermentation in wooden vats at no more than 21 °C. Once alcoholic fermentation is complete, the free-run wines and the best press wines are blended for malolactic fermentation, which takes place in barrel. The wine matures for 15 to 16 months in French oak, of which around a fifth is renewed each year, followed by a further six months in tank to harmonise.

Slightly transparent garnet with an emerging brick-red rim. On the nose, foliage, a hint of tomato leaf, peonies and violets, alongside cherries and black olives. On the palate, cherry and olive meet a light sweetness of extract, firm tannins and austere notes of scrub, foliage and stalks. None of it feels coarse: the wine remains subtle and complex, floral, spicy and fresh.

Charles Joguet began in 1957 to vinify each plot separately, giving rise to this clos as a wine in its own right. The hand-hewn tuffeau cellars extend over one hectare, where the temperature varies by less than half a degree over the year. Cellar master Kevin Fontaine recommends a Burgundy glass for mature wines.