Domaine Philippe Alliet - Chinon 'L'Huisserie' Red 2021

Wine Region:Loire Valley - France

Grape:100% Cabernet Franc

Tasting Notes:

TheL'Huisserieis a medium bodied, very fine and profound Chinon.

From one of the most impressive producers of Chinon, Domaine Alliet, the Huisserie vineyard is located uphill, on a premier slope in Cravant-les-Côteaux. The soil is composed of yellow limestone (tuffeau) on the surface and clay and flint below.

The grapes ripen perfectly in this south facing vineyard. The nose is full, complex and defining a pure and elegant profile with notes of red berries, light pepper and forest trees.

The taste is medium bodied, refreshing and refined with firm tannins. It can be paired with game dishes, beef stew and strong cheeses. This amazing wine could be cellared for more than ten years. However, you can drink it sooner by decanting for 45 minutes before serving.

Expert reviews:
93/100 - Robert Parker Wine Advocate
"The 2021 Chinon L'Huisserie is derived from 23-year-old vines planted on flinty clay soils. Offering up a reduced, complex bouquet of violet, blueberries, cassis, cedar and licorice, it's medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a layered, structured mid-palate complemented with bright acids and a penetrating, mineral finish that is a hallmark of this cuvée in recent years."

About the winery:

The winery began as a family affair when Claude and Philippe Alliet took over from Philippe's father in 1983. Today, the tradition continues with Pierre Alliet, who works alongside his father, Philippe, and grandfather, Claude. The family has consistently focused on enhancing the quality of their vineyards and wines, passing down their extensive knowledge and expertise through the generations.

Vineyard and Terroir The Domaine spans 19 hectares of organically farmed vineyards. The soils in Chinon are diverse, featuring alluvial terraces of gravel and sand along the Vienne River, limestone and yellow tuffeau soils on the hills, and flinty clays and sand on the plateau. This complex terroir contributes to the distinctive character of their wines.

Viticulture and Winemaking Practices Domaine Philippe Alliet emphasizes sustainable and environmentally friendly viticulture practices. The family meticulously manages their vineyards to maintain low yields, resulting in concentrated flavors. They use only indigenous yeasts and de-stem all grapes to reduce vegetal characteristics.

During winemaking, the grapes undergo a long maceration process with gentle punch-downs to extract flavors and tannins slowly. The wines are aged in a combination of barrels and tanks for up to 18 months, with new oak usage kept to a minimum (down from 100% new 225L barrels to 20% new 500L barrels). This approach ensures the wines are approachable when young yet have great aging potential. The ancient cellars, carved into the tuffeau hillsides, provide a naturally temperature-controlled environment ideal for aging the wines.