2020 Chinon, L'Huisserie, Domaine Philippe Alliet, Loire
Critics reviews
Cherries and liquorice root. This is so much more ready, open and friendly than the 2016 vintage of the same cuvée tasted just before (2020 was a much warmer, sunnier year and the winemaker tells me that silex (the flint soils on which this Cabernet Franc grows) is very sensitive to vintage differences. Redcurrant and blood orange, caraway leaf. Mintiness. Super-fresh finish. The tannins are dry, lean, but supple, fluid, gymnastic. There is an elegantly held, unconscious beauty and poise about this wine. This is a delight, and (without having had the chance to decant the 2016) I'd recommend this over the slightly more expensive 2016.
Drink 2024 - 2034
Tamlyn Currin, JancisRobinson.com (November 2023)
L'Huisserie is a clay-flint vineyard on Chinon's slopes. The 2020 was tasted as a tank sample. It is a fluid, flowing style that conveys a sense of ease as it flows across the palate. It is elegant and appetising, with black fruits and a light piquancy. It finishes with cedar notes, liquorice and fruit cake spices. This is undoubtedly a high-quality, ripe, well-made style. The abundant tannins are a triumph, coating the mouth with reassuring gourmandise. This doesn't stay still; it has lovely line and direction.
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 - 2037
Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous.com (August 2022)
About this WINE
Domaine Philippe Alliet
Domaine Philippe Alliet is one to reference for making 100% Cabernet Franc wines. The Domaine is situated in Cravant-les-Côteaux, home to arguably some of the best Cabernet Franc in the world. Founded in 1985, the Domaine is now run by Philippe's son, Pierre, who is revolutionising the Cabernet Franc scene in the Loire, focusing on low yields and meticulous vineyard management.
The oak regime has gone down from 100% new 225l barrels to a mere 20% new wood 500l barrels paired with much longer ageing of up to 20 months. This has drastically changed the style of the range and allows the wines to be approachable young whilst having great potential to age.
The Domaine produces one of the most exciting Chinon ranges in the Loire, spanning from their entry-level Chinon to their top-of-the-range Coteau de Noiré cuvee, located on steep coteaux and perceived as THE best plot in Chinon. Pierre emphasises the importance of sustainable and environmentally friendly viticulture practices, so he organically farms the 19 hectares of the Domaine.
Chinon
Chinon is an important appellation for the Cabernet Franc grape, located within the Touraine wine region just to the west of Tours. At approximately 2,500 hectares, it represents a slightly larger zone than its neighbour Bourgueil. Part of the appellation, closest to its other voisin St Nicolas de Bourgueil, possesses light, sandy gravel soils to give an easy drinking style, while the remainder is blessed with a tuffeau subsoil from which the wines draw a finer structure and longevity. Neither style approaches the fullness of Bourgueil however.
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is widely planted in Bordeaux and is the most important black grape grown in the Loire. In the Médoc it may constitute up to 15% of a typical vineyard - it is always blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and is used to add bouquet and complexity to the wines. It is more widely used in St.Emilion where it adapts well to the cooler and moister clay soils - Cheval Blanc is the most famous Cabernet Franc wine in the world, with the final blend consisting of up to 65% of the grape.
Cabernet Franc thrives in the Loire where the cooler growing conditions serve to accentuate the grape's herbaceous, grassy, lead pencil aromas. The best wines come from the tuffeaux limestone slopes of Chinon and Bourgeil where growers such as Jacky Blot produce intense well-structured wines that possess excellent cellaring potential.
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Description
Alliet’s l’Husserie is at first savoury and earthy on the approach, with blackcurrant leaf florals and gentle spice before succulent red berry fruit bursts through with great intensity and persistence. It flirts with rusticity on the nose, but this does not follow to the palate. The tannins are Barbaresco-esque-ample and structured yet fine and sure to embed elegantly if given a few more years. This was a joy to taste now, but we suggest tucking it away to see its best.
Drink 2024 - 2035+
Tom Leigh, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd
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