Double Blind tasting Medium ruby with clearing at rim - appears unfiltered Medium plus aromas of red cherry/ cranberry with underlying bell pepper, dried thyme and forest floor - appears to be aged in used barrels with no evidence of new oak Medium bodied with palate of ripe red cherry with dried herbs and chalk - again with hints of green pepper Medium tannins with medium alcohol and medium/ medium plus acidity I went with California Cab Franc due what I felt to be a fruit driven palate and relatively ripe expression of CF In any case, this was a beautiful and ripe expression of Chinon - very different impression than other CT notes here Recommend drink soon so these fruit expressions aren't lost
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Medium ruby with rim clearing Aromatics medium +. Red fruit including cherry/cranberry all fresh. Green bell pepper, dry green herbs. Leather. No new oak Palate has a medium body. Acid medium +. Tannins medium +, fine grained. Alcohol medium. Bright cherry, cranberry with some late bell peppers Finish has a medium length. Balance almost towards the acid. Overall quite beautiful Chinon. Just starting to develop some tertiaries on the nose with the leather at 12 years of age, but the fruit on the palate is still fresh with great structure. I think this has aging potential, but why would I as it is great now.
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One hour decant and needed more. This is young and leaner style wine with years of development ahead. Classic Chinon. Faint black cherry fruit with earth, herbs and tobacco. Very acidic so it improved with the prime steak at our dinner. A lovely elegant rendition of Chinon that should be cellared for many years to really bring out its best. Certainly drinkable now with rich food and air, but this will only get better.
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This is maturing beautifully with a fine violet perfume and a layered silky texture. There is delicious violet fruit in a lean, clean package with just the right touch of green pepper and great vibrant acidity. The finish is taut and succulent with lovely hints of tobacco smoke and spice. A traditional style of Chinon that is quite different from the riper vintages since 2015 so not for everyone.
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Big disappointment, hoping it was just a bad bottle. Overall very astringent and unpleasant to drink. No better the 2nd day, and poured the rest of the bottle down the drain.
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Beautiful nose of fresh violets. Quite intense and fresh on the palate with a lovely mix of Franc flavors including green tobacco, dark berries and floral notes. It peacocks on the finish with an incredible violet spice and mineral complexity. About as good a Loire Cab Franc as I've ever tasted.
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Well balanced, earthy with dark fruit. Drinking well right now but with the depth to age. Flavors will develop with time but it is darn good now. Light tannins on the finish that don’t get in the way for current drinking.
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This is just great Chinon in middle age with delicious and succulent black cherry fruit. There is lively acidity with an integrated, smooth texture and the wine builds to a wonderful grippy, chalky complex finish with notes of green tobacco and violet spice. I can’t stop drinking this...
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This is a lovely Cab Franc with just the right hint of green tobacco to go along with the lean black cherry fruit. Very well balanced and elegant with a superb succulent finish with notes of minerals and violets.
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This is just beautiful Cab Franc which has that leafy quality but it’s just the right touch combined with delicious, succulent dark berry fruit. Lean and taut but still giving plenty of rich fruit with a fine, silken texture. Finishes tangy and grippy with notes of tobacco, spices and violet flowers. Better than it was 6 months ago and it should really improve with a few more years of bottle age. Just the right way to make Chinon as far as I’m concerned. 92+
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Pretty nose of dark cherry, minerals and tobacco leaf. Really a silky, classy texture and a really succulent wine at this point with smoky cherry and blue fruit flavors. Opened some with air but very grippy, tart and dry on the finish so it clearly needs some time in the cellar. There is something very pure and fine about it and I look forward to its development over the next decade. 91+
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3/4/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine: 93 Points
Double Blind tasting
Medium ruby with clearing at rim - appears unfiltered
Medium plus aromas of red cherry/ cranberry with underlying bell pepper, dried thyme and forest floor - appears to be aged in used barrels with no evidence of new oak
Medium bodied with palate of ripe red cherry with dried herbs and chalk - again with hints of green pepper
Medium tannins with medium alcohol and medium/ medium plus acidity
I went with California Cab Franc due what I felt to be a fruit driven palate and relatively ripe expression of CF
In any case, this was a beautiful and ripe expression of Chinon - very different impression than other CT notes here
Recommend drink soon so these fruit expressions aren't lost
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3/4/2024 - S.Wayne Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium ruby with rim clearing
Aromatics medium +. Red fruit including cherry/cranberry all fresh. Green bell pepper, dry green herbs. Leather. No new oak
Palate has a medium body. Acid medium +. Tannins medium +, fine grained. Alcohol medium. Bright cherry, cranberry with some late bell peppers
Finish has a medium length. Balance almost towards the acid.
Overall quite beautiful Chinon. Just starting to develop some tertiaries on the nose with the leather at 12 years of age, but the fruit on the palate is still fresh with great structure.
I think this has aging potential, but why would I as it is great now.
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11/28/2023 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was a touch tight.
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8/23/2023 - acidqueen wrote: 92 Points
One hour decant and needed more. This is young and leaner style wine with years of development ahead. Classic Chinon. Faint black cherry fruit with earth, herbs and tobacco. Very acidic so it improved with the prime steak at our dinner. A lovely elegant rendition of Chinon that should be cellared for many years to really bring out its best. Certainly drinkable now with rich food and air, but this will only get better.
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5/12/2023 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is maturing beautifully with a fine violet perfume and a layered silky texture. There is delicious violet fruit in a lean, clean package with just the right touch of green pepper and great vibrant acidity. The finish is taut and succulent with lovely hints of tobacco smoke and spice. A traditional style of Chinon that is quite different from the riper vintages since 2015 so not for everyone.
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5/20/2022 - PVJC wrote:
Marginally better than the last bottle we had, upgrading from dislike to neutral, but not a winner for me.
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1/27/2022 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 92 Points
Better now. 13%
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1/2/2021 - PVJC Does not like this wine:
Big disappointment, hoping it was just a bad bottle. Overall very astringent and unpleasant to drink. No better the 2nd day, and poured the rest of the bottle down the drain.
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9/12/2020 - dream Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful nose of fresh violets. Quite intense and fresh on the palate with a lovely mix of Franc flavors including green tobacco, dark berries and floral notes. It peacocks on the finish with an incredible violet spice and mineral complexity. About as good a Loire Cab Franc as I've ever tasted.
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4/1/2020 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely mid weight. 13% Ready.
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3/20/2020 - acidqueen wrote: 92 Points
Well balanced, earthy with dark fruit. Drinking well right now but with the depth to age. Flavors will develop with time but it is darn good now. Light tannins on the finish that don’t get in the way for current drinking.
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3/12/2020 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is just great Chinon in middle age with delicious and succulent black cherry fruit. There is lively acidity with an integrated, smooth texture and the wine builds to a wonderful grippy, chalky complex finish with notes of green tobacco and violet spice. I can’t stop drinking this...
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7/13/2019 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
Just a great showing at outdoor bbq tonight
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11/2/2018 - dream Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is a lovely Cab Franc with just the right hint of green tobacco to go along with the lean black cherry fruit. Very well balanced and elegant with a superb succulent finish with notes of minerals and violets.
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1/12/2018 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is just beautiful Cab Franc which has that leafy quality but it’s just the right touch combined with delicious, succulent dark berry fruit. Lean and taut but still giving plenty of rich fruit with a fine, silken texture. Finishes tangy and grippy with notes of tobacco, spices and violet flowers. Better than it was 6 months ago and it should really improve with a few more years of bottle age. Just the right way to make Chinon as far as I’m concerned. 92+
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6/29/2017 - dream Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pretty nose of dark cherry, minerals and tobacco leaf. Really a silky, classy texture and a really succulent wine at this point with smoky cherry and blue fruit flavors. Opened some with air but very grippy, tart and dry on the finish so it clearly needs some time in the cellar. There is something very pure and fine about it and I look forward to its development over the next decade. 91+
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4/4/2017 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Dark and spicy, hard edged on the palate. Why is this a unicorn wine? Or it just needs allot of time. Oddly lean notes Les.
Smells like good Cabernet Franc. Tastes lean. I was expecting more one taster notes.
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