2022 Phillipe Alliet - Chinon V.V. (750ml)

Philippe Alliet, working alongside his wife Claude, helped redefine the style of Chinon in the 1990s, crafting cuvées prized for their depth and dark, expressive character. Since 2005 their son Pierre has joined the estate, helping shape wines that grow ever more precise while staying true to the family's minimal-intervention philosophy. The domaine farms nineteen hectares organically across Chinon's varied terroir, from gravelly river terraces to limestone hillsides and flint-laced plateau soils.

Vieilles Vignes comes from the estate's oldest Cabernet Franc, planted decades ago on gravel and clay-limestone soils that yield naturally low, concentrated crops. Grapes undergo a long maceration with gentle punch-downs to extract flavor gradually, followed by up to eighteen months of aging split between concrete vats and a small proportion of oak barrels, with only a modest share of new wood to keep the fruit's character front and center.

The wine offers aromas of raspberry, cassis, and dark wild berries, joined by notes of licorice and a touch of clove. On the palate it is medium-bodied and silky, with fine, powdery tannins leading to a long, ethereal finish. Pair it with braised beef, lamb curry, or aged hard cheeses.