2016 Chinon, Coteau de Noiré, Philippe Alliet, Loire

Coteau de Noire is one of Alliet’s top vineyard sites, a steep parcel of limestone and clay. Aged one year in a mix of old and new 500-litre barrels. Lots of cherry, even tart cherry, throughout, fruit compote and some barrel spices on the nose. There is good acidity throughout, though it turns chewy and woody at midpalate. A bit immature right now. I want to retaste this in two years.

The Father-and-son team of Philippe and Pierre Alliet have raised the bar for what’s possible with Loire Cabernet Franc and are now running one of the top domaines in Chinon. Pierre now mostly runs the estate’s day-to-day, with 18 hectares of Cabernet Franc and a single hectare of Chenin Blanc. One thing he’s introduced is using more cement tanks and less oak. The south-facing limestone slope of L’Huisserie and the steep site called Côteau de Noire are two of the top single vineyards in all of Chinon.

Drink 2022 - 2032

The 2016 Chinon Coteau de Noiré is from 30-year-old vines on argilo-calcaire soils. Fermented in concrete and aged in 500-litre barrels for one year 25% of which were new) and another six months in concrete before the bottling, this is a dark-coloured, ripe and concentrated but very fine and refreshing Cabernet Franc with elegance, intensity and a tightly woven structure. Highly promising and very expressive, with power and vibrancy. Quite masculine.

The most recent vintage of the domain I tasted was the 2017, which was very good. The harvest was very early and went from September 18 to 25. Due to spring frost, the yields were relatively low, at 35 hectoliters per hectare for Cabernet Franc.

Drink 2024 - 2036