Lenoir

The Cabernet Franc vines are 70 years old, and are planted in poor soil that offers the vines only 20 to 30 cm of soil, so the roots have to plunge into the chalk subsoil to draw nutrients from it. This subsoil of Turonian chalk is the famous tuffeau, and has made a major contribution to the reputation of Chinon wines, whose reds are the most famous. Since the end of the 1950s, Domaine des Roches has also owned a small 23-acre parcel of white Chinon (Chenin), whose vines were found to date from before 1900 and were probably pre-phylloxera and free-standing. Surrounded by woodland and land without vines, it is thought that this parcel may have escaped the destructive insect. What makes Domaine des Roches so special is its winemaking methods, with manual harvesting from the outset and the grapes destemmed even before they are returned to the cellar. The risk being oxidation of the first juices, the speed of the transfers to the cellar then proves to be essential. The Cabernet Franc, the king of Chinon wines, is then transferred to very old wooden tuns, where the grapes are punched down with a pestle. Fermentation is of course carried out using indigenous yeasts, and the wine is aged for 3 to 6 years in casks, depending on the vintage. Domaine des Roches' only red cuvée is not filtered, but only very lightly sulphited. As a result, the wine's ardour is naturally calmed, and Domaine des Roches offers a fresh, civilised Chinon, with superb balance and transparent flavours thanks to its long ageing process. Jérôme Lenoir's approach in the cellar is reminiscent of Emmanuel Reynaud's wines at Château Rayas (the legendary Châteauneuf-du-Pape). Of course, Cabernet Franc cannot be compared with Grenache Noir, but the approach to winemaking and the impact on the wines are similar. Domaine des Roches produces around 9,000 to 10,000 bottles a year, and given the length of the ageing period, the vintages are released at different times. Jérôme Lenoir releases old vintages from time to time, and it is highly recommended to seize the opportunity to taste an old Chinon, such as the fabulous 1989 vintage, whose aged flavours and aromas of strawberry, blood orange, undergrowth and leather are sure to appeal to connoisseurs of older wines.

Find other Loire Valley estates such as Didier Dagueneau, Alphonse Mellot and Francois Cotat at Vins & Millésimes, where you can buy the best bottles of white, red and rosé wines and grands crus from the Loire region online. All our young and old vintages are in stock and available for fast delivery! Discover the Domaine des Roches bottles and magnums available for purchase!