Decanted about 1.5 hours and consumed over the following hour. Deep, virtually opaque garnet-red color. Subdued but complex nose of herbs, coffee, plums, tar, and some iron. Rather austere on the palate yet balanced, full without being rich, with plenty of fruit, acidity, and mild, ripe tannins. This was my first experience with an aged Chinon and I found it interesting but sort of lost somewhere between a good Burgundy and a good Bordeaux, without the complexity or depth of either. Made for a very good food wine. Purchased on release and stored in my cellar since.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted next to the 2005 Franc de Pied from the same vineyard. Fragrant nose with classic Cabernet Franc nose of green bell pepper, red fruit, pepper, and dark cherries. The palate has quite a bit of acidity and structural tannins with black cherry, asphalt, leather, and more green pepper notes. Nice finish. A lovely wine that in comparison to the FdP feels a bit more "typical" for a Chinon, but also is less complex and nuanced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good vibrant purple angular fruit. High classiness factor. Fabulous herbal notes. Fruit is dark but lean. High acid. Was hoping this might fatten up more with age, but this is my last bottle so maybe I jumped the gun. The 2005 vintage has turned out less dense than I was hoping, actually I'm preferring the 2006s, although that might not be the popular opinion. Still, this is a very very good bottle of top notch Chinon. Drink or hold for 10 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
To me it seemed that this is more harsh and with higher acidity than FdP version. Overall, still a very beautiful wine, still on the young side. On the finish the same lemon juice as in FdP supplemented by sandpaper feeling.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful deep, even ruby with a saturation that so many of the '05s have had to set them apart visually. Strong green tones and olive. Medium weight with the glycerine and ripeness of the year. Dark cherry fruit, excellent acidity and real stoniness. After about 2 hours, this began to dry out. At least very good at this point, but is it starting to slide?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rich and full bodied. Brooding flavours of subdued dark fruit with hints of earth and autumn leaf. Good tannins. Seems almost youthful. A very nice wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From Auberge du Val de Vienne, Sazilly. €59 off the list. No formal note. This was dark fruited, dense, yet gracious and velvety at the same time, some spice notes, balanced acidity, slightly firm good length finish. Enjoyable but should be better in another 5 years or so.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Grafted vs Ungrafted Cabernet Franc: Greener, more pungent nose than FdP bottling. Light red fruits, a bit of barnyard (FdP had none), long finish. Quite round and harmonic. Seemed to be more edgy and green but also more concentrated than FdP.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
feb 2013 decanted for 30 min then drunk over an hour or so. bought on release and stored chez moi - nice cork
this still has a youthful hue with hints a magenta, still dark and vivid. The nose is a bit shy showing still primary notes of cherry, raspberry, a little clean dirt and pepper. The palate is firm and still a bit tight. really nice tannins that are quite present and holding everything together very well with some lively but not obtrusive acidity. The palate has some primary notes too with some sour cherry, bramble and perhaps some leather.
all in all, this is pretty nice but sitll closed down, very well balanced with good posture. i meant to keep this in the cellar for it's 10th bday but i have drunk too many aged chinons that are over the hill or lost their grip. this is not the case. i wish i bought 1 or 2 more bottles of this and follow. if you have a few. take one out for a test ride. if you have one, do yourself a favor and save it for 2015 +
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Much different than my last bottle. Deeper, darker, leafy-er, spicier. Cherry notes appear with time. Great acid, fruit and balance. Drinking well now but better in five.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A point, drinking great. High toned red fruit, plenty of acid, fine tannin, lots of spice, light to medium bodied, great length and depth. Elegant. Enjoyed enormously.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wonderful, deep clear colour, rich nose, full of fruit with silky tannins and mild acidity, remarkable finish, lovely ! Maybe it can reach an even higher score two to three years from now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Outstanding. Popped and poured. A nose of raspberries and some leather. Nothing green on the nose. Maybe some cigar. On the palate, this is lush and with plenty of fruit while at the same time, complex and layered. Still quite youthful, probably should have waited. Still, it drinks so easily and is very delicious. Yes, this was a ripe vintage, but I think a really great one for Loire Cab Franc.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is just fantastic. Deep, dark, rich fruit with lots of tar and earth and some acid. Tons of black pepper and some bell pepper along with a very nice greenish Cab Franc note. Dense, chewy, and a little bitter with a long finish. This needs several years in bottle to take the edge off and should live and improve for a long time. Delicious with a bright future. B+/A-
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Oof, this is a baby. Very dense and primary, full of rich dark fruited flavours with gravelly and faintly toasty accents over a firm spine of tannins and acids, incredibly young but the balance and structure suggests this has a great future ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
No sign of age, extract++, a very dumb closed down nose, some cassis, but you had to work to get a whiff of it.again a big mouthful of fruit, with floral flavours wafting up ones nose.Big soft tannins, some residual bitterness. Much too young, try again 5 year
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Funky on opening, this wine showed it charm for a bit after some air. Earthy and herbal, the tannic structure is imposing and austere, yet it does not fully close down on the fruit. Should be interesting to see how this ages.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Again, deep purple, but does not compare to the Breton Senechal. Very fragrant, bright, whole berry fruit. In the mouth, approaches a more typical Loire weight with a sweetness and juiciness that the Chene Vert lacks. Licorice and a hint of herbs add interest and complexity. Not only approachable but very enjoyable now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Loire Valley Reds at SFWTC (San Francisco Wine Trading Company): Nose of seasoned wood and darker fruits, cassis, ripe cherry. Gently sweet, chewy cassis and cherry flavors on the palate, seems more open than the Chene Vert, with a fuller midpalate that sails on through the finish. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Like the other 2 Joguets, quite dark. Initially, this was marred by burnt rubber, but this receded to reveal a very nice balance between redder fruits, tobacco, and crushed herbs. Round in the mouth with nice tannic structure that did not overwhelm. This was my favorite of these '05s, with less extraction allowing more typical Loire characteristics to shine through.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Clearly cut from the same cloth as the franc de pied bottling and tough to choose a favorite. This one is even thicker and inkier in its fruit impact, the tannin more powerful and drying. The aroma is less primary here, cigar tobacco without the fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dinner w/ Kristin & Paul. Found in a local Boston wine shop and bought to try with grilled pork chops. The color is an intense, deep cherry red. Nose of ripe cherries, flowers, and herbs. On the palate, this shows ripe, high-toned red fruit, earth, and freshly chopped herbs. Soft and supple, with moderate tannin and structure. There is more than enough fruit to balance the herbal flavors, so this doesn't taste overly green or vegetal. A nice effort from a good producer in a great vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
12/25/2022 - tomandlu wrote:
Decanted about 1.5 hours and consumed over the following hour. Deep, virtually opaque garnet-red color. Subdued but complex nose of herbs, coffee, plums, tar, and some iron. Rather austere on the palate yet balanced, full without being rich, with plenty of fruit, acidity, and mild, ripe tannins. This was my first experience with an aged Chinon and I found it interesting but sort of lost somewhere between a good Burgundy and a good Bordeaux, without the complexity or depth of either. Made for a very good food wine. Purchased on release and stored in my cellar since.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2022 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted next to the 2005 Franc de Pied from the same vineyard. Fragrant nose with classic Cabernet Franc nose of green bell pepper, red fruit, pepper, and dark cherries. The palate has quite a bit of acidity and structural tannins with black cherry, asphalt, leather, and more green pepper notes. Nice finish. A lovely wine that in comparison to the FdP feels a bit more "typical" for a Chinon, but also is less complex and nuanced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/20/2022 - Rani Likes this wine: 90 Points
Barnyard and shoe polish on the nose. Slightly bretty. Bloody, inky, leathery. Not a “clean” wine but I like it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/16/2021 - MRichman wrote:
Good vibrant purple angular fruit. High classiness factor. Fabulous herbal notes. Fruit is dark but lean. High acid. Was hoping this might fatten up more with age, but this is my last bottle so maybe I jumped the gun. The 2005 vintage has turned out less dense than I was hoping, actually I'm preferring the 2006s, although that might not be the popular opinion. Still, this is a very very good bottle of top notch Chinon. Drink or hold for 10 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/26/2020 - MRichman wrote:
Excellent. Youthful, drinking great. Herbs and angular fruit. Great complexity. Love it. Drinking well now or hold.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/20/2020 - sarbo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still young, fresh, dense and developing a very typical CF bouquet. Some time left, no problem. Very nice wine with duck and beef meats
I loved it
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2019 - AV2012 wrote:
To me it seemed that this is more harsh and with higher acidity than FdP version. Overall, still a very beautiful wine, still on the young side. On the finish the same lemon juice as in FdP supplemented by sandpaper feeling.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2018 - saturnaisland wrote: 90 Points
Still seems youthful. Rich red and black fruit. No signs of bricking. Improved with a couple of hours of air.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2017 - drwine2001 wrote:
Beautiful deep, even ruby with a saturation that so many of the '05s have had to set them apart visually. Strong green tones and olive. Medium weight with the glycerine and ripeness of the year. Dark cherry fruit, excellent acidity and real stoniness. After about 2 hours, this began to dry out. At least very good at this point, but is it starting to slide?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2017 - saturnaisland wrote: 92 Points
Rich and full bodied. Brooding flavours of subdued dark fruit with hints of earth and autumn leaf. Good tannins. Seems almost youthful. A very nice wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/1/2017 - Paul D wrote: 90 Points
From Auberge du Val de Vienne, Sazilly. €59 off the list. No formal note. This was dark fruited, dense, yet gracious and velvety at the same time, some spice notes, balanced acidity, slightly firm good length finish. Enjoyable but should be better in another 5 years or so.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/16/2017 - drwine2001 wrote:
Ruby. Ripe blackberry. Beautiful weight and texture, excellent depth of fruit, complementary olive tones, light tannins. Almost mature, nice balance without seeming overripe.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/29/2016 - Francophile Likes this wine: 90 Points
A very nice full bodied Cab Franc that was a great pleasure to consume
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2016 - AV2012 wrote: 91 Points
Grafted vs Ungrafted Cabernet Franc: Greener, more pungent nose than FdP bottling. Light red fruits, a bit of barnyard (FdP had none), long finish. Quite round and harmonic. Seemed to be more edgy and green but also more concentrated than FdP.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2014 - PhDP Likes this wine:
Grande structure, très jeune, aromatique très réservée. Pas encore ouvert.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/22/2013 - GUBBIO Likes this wine:
feb 2013
decanted for 30 min then drunk over an hour or so. bought on release and stored chez moi - nice cork
this still has a youthful hue with hints a magenta, still dark and vivid. The nose is a bit shy showing still primary notes of cherry, raspberry, a little clean dirt and pepper.
The palate is firm and still a bit tight. really nice tannins that are quite present and holding everything together very well with some lively but not obtrusive acidity. The palate has some primary notes too with some sour cherry, bramble and perhaps some leather.
all in all, this is pretty nice but sitll closed down, very well balanced with good posture. i meant to keep this in the cellar for it's 10th bday but i have drunk too many aged chinons that are over the hill or lost their grip. this is not the case. i wish i bought 1 or 2 more bottles of this and follow. if you have a few. take one out for a test ride. if you have one, do yourself a favor and save it for 2015 +
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2012 - kdsipe wrote: 92 Points
Much different than my last bottle. Deeper, darker, leafy-er, spicier. Cherry notes appear with time. Great acid, fruit and balance. Drinking well now but better in five.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/12/2012 - kdsipe wrote: 92 Points
A point, drinking great. High toned red fruit, plenty of acid, fine tannin, lots of spice, light to medium bodied, great length and depth. Elegant. Enjoyed enormously.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/5/2012 - Eubulos wrote: 91 Points
Wonderful, deep clear colour, rich nose, full of fruit with silky tannins and mild acidity, remarkable finish, lovely ! Maybe it can reach an even higher score two to three years from now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2011 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding. Popped and poured. A nose of raspberries and some leather. Nothing green on the nose. Maybe some cigar. On the palate, this is lush and with plenty of fruit while at the same time, complex and layered. Still quite youthful, probably should have waited. Still, it drinks so easily and is very delicious. Yes, this was a ripe vintage, but I think a really great one for Loire Cab Franc.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/13/2011 - collin wrote:
Consistent with my last bottle a year or so ago; unsurprisingly too young. Should be great when mature in several years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/30/2010 - MRichman wrote:
This is just fantastic. Deep, dark, rich fruit with lots of tar and earth and some acid. Tons of black pepper and some bell pepper along with a very nice greenish Cab Franc note. Dense, chewy, and a little bitter with a long finish. This needs several years in bottle to take the edge off and should live and improve for a long time. Delicious with a bright future.
B+/A-
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/18/2010 - salil wrote: 90 Points
Oof, this is a baby. Very dense and primary, full of rich dark fruited flavours with gravelly and faintly toasty accents over a firm spine of tannins and acids, incredibly young but the balance and structure suggests this has a great future ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/3/2009 - collin wrote:
Keith is about right: tobacco without the fruit. Really nice depth and finish; obviously will be better in ~5 years than now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2009 - barcud wrote: 90 Points
No sign of age, extract++, a very dumb closed down nose, some cassis, but
you had to work to get a whiff of it.again a big mouthful of fruit, with
floral flavours wafting up ones nose.Big soft tannins, some residual
bitterness. Much too young, try again 5 year
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2008 - Zinny wrote:
Quite good but young and very tart. Will try again in a few years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2008 - jwwinec wrote: 88 Points
Funky on opening, this wine showed it charm for a bit after some air. Earthy and herbal, the tannic structure is imposing and austere, yet it does not fully close down on the fruit. Should be interesting to see how this ages.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/22/2008 - La Grappe wrote: 84 Points
Young, tight and tannic, with quite deep cabernet franc fruit. Needs time. Potentially very good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/10/2008 - drwine2001 wrote:
Again, deep purple, but does not compare to the Breton Senechal. Very fragrant, bright, whole berry fruit. In the mouth, approaches a more typical Loire weight with a sweetness and juiciness that the Chene Vert lacks. Licorice and a hint of herbs add interest and complexity. Not only approachable but very enjoyable now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2008 - 5laton wrote:
Loire Valley Reds at SFWTC (San Francisco Wine Trading Company): Nose of seasoned wood and darker fruits, cassis, ripe cherry. Gently sweet, chewy cassis and cherry flavors on the palate, seems more open than the Chene Vert, with a fuller midpalate that sails on through the finish. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2008 - drwine2001 wrote:
Like the other 2 Joguets, quite dark. Initially, this was marred by burnt rubber, but this receded to reveal a very nice balance between redder fruits, tobacco, and crushed herbs. Round in the mouth with nice tannic structure that did not overwhelm. This was my favorite of these '05s, with less extraction allowing more typical Loire characteristics to shine through.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/31/2008 - br wrote:
a black cherry color that makes your head snap. juicy, brambly dark fruit. young and delish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/30/2007 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 93 Points
Clearly cut from the same cloth as the franc de pied bottling and tough to choose a favorite. This one is even thicker and inkier in its fruit impact, the tannin more powerful and drying. The aroma is less primary here, cigar tobacco without the fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2007 - tarheel17 wrote: 88 Points
nose: red fruits, cherry, strawberry. Nice light palate and well balanced acidity. Not very vegetal - fruity for a cab franc. Enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/7/2007 - Siggy wrote: 90 Points
Dinner w/ Kristin & Paul. Found in a local Boston wine shop and bought to try with grilled pork chops. The color is an intense, deep cherry red. Nose of ripe cherries, flowers, and herbs. On the palate, this shows ripe, high-toned red fruit, earth, and freshly chopped herbs. Soft and supple, with moderate tannin and structure. There is more than enough fruit to balance the herbal flavors, so this doesn't taste overly green or vegetal. A nice effort from a good producer in a great vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment