Cabernet Franc comes in many forms, even within the confines of a single appellation like Chinon, where it can range from bright, perfumed and energetic—as in the case of this incredible value—to darker, denser, and almost Bordeaux-like in dimension. The first style I described, based on our recent tastings (and offers), seems to be the one that’s winning the day.
The dynamic Loire Valley partnership of Christophe Baudry (from the celebrated family that includes his uncle, Bernard, one of Chinon’s greats) and agronomist/enologist Jean-Martin Dutour has grown to become a mini-empire in the Chinon AOC, and this wine from their Domaine de la Roncée reflects their passion for this classic Cabernet Franc terroir. It also reflects (a) the generous fruit of the sublime 2015 vintage and (b) how more producers in Chinon, Bourgueil, Saumur, and elsewhere in the Loire are perfecting a style that favors elegance and polish over rusticity. As our subscribers are well aware, Cru Beaujolais is one of our “pet” wines, but lately the Cab Francs of the Loire have been gaining ground—offering the kind of perfume, minerality, and especially the quality-for-price that Cru Beaujolais has been so (rightly) celebrated for. This 2015 from Domaine de la Roncée has that refreshing crunch and aromatic lift we love, and boy does it disappear quickly. Luckily, it is priced for multiple-bottle consumption. If you can’t decide whether to drink Pinot Noir or Gamay tonight, I might suggest pinch-hitting with this Chinon. Once you try, it will immediately become part of your rotation.
In 1990 Christophe Baudry’s parents handed him Domaine de la Perrière, located in the bucolic town of Cravant-les-Coteaux and part of Christophe’s family tree going back to 1398 (Cravant-les-Coteaux, a few miles east of Chinon if following the Vienne River, is also home to Bernard Baudry’s celebrated estate). In 1993, while Christophe was honing his craft, newcomer Jean-Martin Dutour took over the winemaking responsibilities of Domaine du Roncée in Panzoult, another relaxed, ancient town abutting Cravant-les-Coteaux. Fast-forward to 2003, where the two wine minds met and formed a partnership known as Baudry-Dutour. Between the two of them (Christophe runs the business, Jean-Martin creates the wine), they have grown to run four properties in Chinon, each bottling its own wines under the Baudry-Dutour banner.
Vines at Domaine du Roncée are roughly twenty years of age and are planted in alluvial gravel soils, given their proximity to the Vienne. Baudry-Dutour follows the lutte raisonnée (reasoned fight) philosophy, implementing organic practices which can immediately be seen in the vineyards. Upon his arrival back in ’93, Jean-Martin immediately started planting grass in between rows so the vines would struggle for nutrients. He also takes on the arduous task of harvesting and vinifying each plot separately to achieve the perfect blend. A new winery was built in 2006 “in order to recreate gravity”—meaning belts and pumps are no longer used. Indigenous yeasts start the fermentation and after resting in stainless steel, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
The 2015 Domaine du Roncée Chinon has a bright, dark garnet/purple core that extends to the rim, where magenta hues are revealed. In order to experience the magnitude of aromas, temperature is key here: between 55-60 degrees. Once that is accomplished, dip your nose in and inhale the clean layers of purple and blue fruit intermixed with spice and wild herbs. Ripe black cherry, boysenberry, black plum, damp violet, green tobacco leaf, wild herbs, crushed rock and white pepper will give you an invigorating rush; the aromatics here are anything but shy. On the palate, the wine shows a strong medium body and very much confirms the juicy core of fruit while adding a kiss of herbs and exotic spices. You’d be hard-pressed not to drink this now, but it will keep nicely for 3-7 years depending on storage. When consuming, do so in Bordeaux or Burgundy stems—either will work perfectly—and to achieve optimal temperatures, either throw it in the freezer for ten minutes or the fridge for thirty. After a 15-minute decant, have at it—you’ll be amazed at its depth, precision and ripe core of fruit. I recommend a tasty veal dish with wild mushrooms, while making sure to pair all sorts of soft cheeses and cold cuts while prepping. Cheers!
