Alliet/Philippe Chinon 2021

92 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "I love Philippe Alliet’s wines and I was fortunate to taste with him during my most recent visit to Domaine Coche-Dury in Meursault. It was the first time I had meat Monsieur Alliet and was so happy to have a chance to tell him how much I have enjoyed his wines over the years. I guess I will have to find time to go visit and taste at his domaine in Cravant-les-Coteaux one day soon. In any event, his 2021 regular bottling of Chinon is made from vines that are in excess of forty-five years of age, with the cuvée fermented and raised in cement tanks. It comes in at 12.5 percent octane in this old school vintage and offers up a beautiful bouquet of red and black cherries, cigar wrapper, tree bark, gravelly soil tones, a touch of menthol and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a lovely core, excellent transparency and grip, fine-grained tannins and a long, tangy and beautifully balanced finish. This will need a few years to soften up properly, but it is going to be outstanding in due course! 2026-2050. (Jul/Aug 2022)"

Importer notes: "A perennial favorite at this point and there’s less and less that makes it to the US each year. Made from young vines planted in sandy/clay based soil, this is classic Cabernet Franc. Fleshy, grapey fruit backed up with smooth tannins that are never green. The gritty texture show some minerals and provide perfect seasoning for the up-front fruit."