The opinion of the sommelier
I selected this wine from Domaine Jean-Maurice Raffault because even if it was just bottled as it is the 2014 vintage, it already shows a lot of richness. Its aromas of strawberry and spices are typical of the Loire Valley, but the aromas of banana are more unexpected. Having fun with wine by being surprised is something I love. To enjoy the wine even more, pair it with a tripe sausage or a camembert cheese
Terroir
The town of Chinon is located on the banks of the Vienne River in Indre-et-Loire. The vineyards of Chinon are located in a really unique microclimate that reminds some places around the Mediterranean Sea. The soil consists almost entirely of erosional scree and
gravels on top of rather hard limestone.
Grape variety
Cabernet franc is one of the oldest varieties of the Bordeaux region, where it is from. It is still cultivated by some of the most prestigious
Château like Cheval-Blanc in Saint-Emilion. The fact that it matures so quickly (it is quite often the first variety harvested in Bordeaux)
allows it to be cultivated in the Loire Valley, even if it is a colder region.
Vintage
2014 was a strange year in Chinon. Winter happened between March and May, and then
autumn took place from June to august. So the winemakers were quite worried, and we can
understand why: their grapes had almost no chance to mature. Fortunately, summer happened during the months of September and October, and the 2014 harvest was a bit late but of very high quality. Phew! 
A winemaker, a family
In 1693, Mathurin Bottreau, ancestor of theRaffault family, became the owner of the family’s first vines. Since then, 14 generations have worked on the development of the estate! Rodolphe Raffault, now in charge of the vineyard, is constantly looking for innovation in the making of his wines. He was among the first ones implementing malolactic fermentation in Chinon to soften the tastes of the wines.
My VitiBox, April. 2015 / bouteille
Sold by cases of 3 or 6 bottles. Delivery within 7 days.
Its aromas of strawberry and spices are typical of the Loire Valley, but the aromas of banana are more unexpected.
