Domaine Philippe Alliet Chinon Vieilles Vignes 2021

This Chinon comes from Domaine Philippe Alliet, a fourth-generation family estate working 17 hectares across Chinon and Cravant-les-Coteaux in the Loire Valley. The Vieilles Vignes bottling draws on the oldest vines, set on sandy soils and on sand with gravel at the top of the slope, where drainage is sharp and yields are naturally low. Chinon sits at a cool northern latitude where Cabernet Franc ripens slowly, holding bright acidity and the variety's leafy, peppery character. The estate farms sustainably and ages the wine 12 months in barrel, where measured oak contact knits the tannins and adds a light cedar and tobacco frame without masking the fruit. The colour is bright ruby. The nose leads with red currant and cherry over crushed pepper, dried herbs and a clear earthy, graphite-like minerality from the sandy soils. The palate is medium bodied and fresh, with fine tannins and a savoury, stony finish that runs long. This is a structured but elegant red built for the table. Serve at 16 degrees, and pour it with roast beef, lamb or mushroom dishes.