Exploring the Alluvial Terroirs of Chinon

No.19 | Terroir Talk

A significant portion of the Chinon appellation’s vineyards are on alluvial soils, and many people (professionals and enthusiasts alike) are very quick to lump these soils into one simple category (sands and gravels). But the Chinon appellation has gone to great lengths to better understand their alluvial soils, and with the help of researchers, they have identified 18 (!!) different individual terroir units just within the category of alluvial soils across the appellation. Each of these terroir units has been differentiated from one another based on geographical and climate components, pedological and viticultural characteristics, and how these factors impact the grape growing environment and translate into structural characteristics in the finished wine.

Often seen as inferior to the tuffeau chalk-derived soils of the slopes, there is a lot more to these alluvial soils than what meets the eye, and Cabernet Franc is particularly well-adapted to these alluvial soils producing wines that are fleshy and approachable, but also with depth, structure and complexity. (As an aside, the vineyards of what is often considered the world’s most prestigious Cabernet Franc, Château Cheval Blanc, are situated on an alluvial terrace of sands and gravels over clay.)

So, let’s explore Chinon’s alluvial soils! Where do we find them, their properties, how to identify these terroirs on a label, and some examples you can seek out and try for yourself.

Very deep, almost beach-like sands of the alluvial terrace in Cravant-les-Côteaux

1. Very deep sandy soils of the lower terraces

Terroir: Very deep, mostly sandy topsoils, over a subsoil of sand and/or clayey-sands. These soils can have varying amounts of gravels in the topsoils and subsoils, but are often less stony overall. These sites tend to be located near a water source, like a spring or creek (or even the Vienne), and as a result generally have good access to water thanks to the water table at greater depths.

Where we find this terroir: Most commonly found in Cravant-les-Côteaux, Panzoult, and Savigny-en-Véron on the lower to middle terraces at elevations ranging from 34 to 38m above sea level.

How to spot this terroir on a label: Most often these wines are the “entry-level” wine from a particular domaine, often labeled as their “Cuvée Domaine.” If a domaine is based in any of the above-mentioned communes, it is very likely they have a cuvée from this type of terroir. On occasion, we find these wines labelled as coming from a specific lieu-dit (ex. Les Barnabés, Les Granges), but more commonly with fanciful names that hint to the location or terroir (ex. “Les Terrasses,” “Les Galuches,” “Les Graviers,” etc.).

Style: These wines are generally produced in an early-drinking, fruity style, with shorter macerations and are typically vinified and aged in stainless steel or concrete.

In the Glass: These cuvées are often very classic examples of Chinon Rouge. Often red fruited with marked earthy and savoury undertones that can range from fresh herbs, capsicum, and other “noble” herbaceous notes. These wines can have a pleasant underlying spice and floral profile, but often lean a bit more herbal in nature. Light to medium body, with supple, silky tannins that are complemented by refreshing acidity. These are charming, companionable wines that are all about ease and drinkability.

Cellar potential: Two to upwards to five to seven years depending on the wine and producer.

Wines to try from these soils:

Cravant-les-Côteaux: Bernard Baudry ‘Les Granges,’ Béatrice et Pascal Lambert “Les Terrasses,” Manoir de la Bellonnière “La Bellonnière," Philippe Alliet “Vieilles Vignes,” Domaine Gouron “Cuvée Domaine,” Couly-Dutheil “Les Gravières”

Panzoult: Nicolas Grosbois “La Cuisine de Ma Mère” (Panzoult and Cravant), Charles Pain “Cuvée du Domaine,” Domaine l’Arpenty Chinon Rouge

Savigny-en-Véron: Olga Raffault “Cuvée Domaine,” Olga Raffault ‘Les Barnabés,’ Wilfred Rousse “Les Galuches”

Les Grézeaux in Cravant-Les-Côteaux

2. Sands and sandy-silts over gravels of the lower and middle terraces

Terroir: Moderate to deep, sandy or silty-sandy topsoils, over a subsoil of gravels. In some pockets, we can find a little more clay content in the topsoil or subsoil, but in general what marks these areas is a higher percentage of stones and/or gravels in the topsoil and subsoil. Because of the presence of the stones and gravels, these soils have very good drainage and are a little less fertile by nature, often leading to slightly lower yields.

Where we find this terroir: Found most commonly in Cravant-Les-Côteaux and Panzoult, and to a lesser extent Crouzilles (right bank) and Rivière (left bank). These soils are a bit more variable in terms of location, but tend to sit up a little higher on gravel “montilles” or mounds around 38 to 42m above sea level.

How to spot this terroir on a label: I’ve come across these wines often labelled as single lieu-dit wines (cuvées parcellaires) and they tend to be positioned a tier above the estate’s “domaine” cuvée in their range of wines. Some of these lieux-dits include Les Grézeaux (Cravant-les-Côteaux), Les Battereaux (Cravant-les-Côteaux), La Vallée du Roi (Panzoult), and Les Marronniers (Panzoult).

Style: Wines from these terroirs are often produced in a similar manner to above, vinified and aged in a neutral vessel (stainless or concrete), often with a little bit more extended skin contact. Some examples see a short élevage in foudre or older barrels to preserve the fruit.

In the Glass: Overall, I’ve found wines from these terroirs to have more intensity and concentration, and a bit more density to the middle palate in particular. They can exhibit red or darker fruits, with notes of fresh sage and underbrush. I often find them to offer a complex mélange of spices, such as Sichuan peppercorns, nutmeg, star anise. Structurally, these wines are more round, with cashmere- or merino wool-like, fleshy tannins complemented by persistent, balancing acidity. Harmonious, complete with plenty of depth, these wines offer great drinkability and pleasure when young, but have potential to gain complexity with time.

Cellar potential: While I have not tasted many examples from this particular terroir, those I have tasted would suggest to me that these wines have a much longer lifespan than what we often suggest for a Chinon Rouge from alluvial soils. Depending on the producer, wines from these terroirs can age gracefully for 10 to upwards to 15 years. I’ve been fortunate enough to taste some examples of Bernard Baudry’s Les Grézeaux with over 20 years of age and that wine was still brimming with life and intrigue.

Wines to try from these soils:

Cravant-les-Côteaux: Bernard Baudry ‘Les Grézeaux,’ Manoir de la Bellonnière ‘Les Battereaux,’ Domaine de la Perrières ‘Les Battereaux’

Panzoult: Domaine de la Commanderie ‘La Vallée du Roi’, Fabrice Gasnier “La Queue de Poelon,” Domaine du Roncée ‘Clos des Marronniers’

L: Aeolian sands R: Shown on the map in tan and magenta, with tuffeau soils shown in red and yellow

3. Aeolian sands of the high terraces or plateaus

Terroir: Moderate to deep topsoils that are aeolian (wind-deposited) sands and sandy-silts. The subsoil can start 70 to 110cm from the surface, and there are a variety of subsoils depending on the area, from yellow tuffeau chalk and clay, to sandstone, to alterations of chalk and sandstone, to heavier clay. These soils are warmer, drier and have better drainage and less water holding capacity than the sands on the lower terraces.

Where we find this terroir: These soils are found on the high terraces or plateaus (often more than 75m above sea level), most extensively in the commune of Beaumont-en-Véron, with select pockets in the Chinon commune, particularly to the north and east of the Chinon village. In Beaumont-en-Véron, these aeolian sands are found around the puys of Chinon, a unique Mediterranean-like ecosystem that is warmer, more arid and windier than other parts of the appellation.

How to spot this terroir on a label: This is a rare terroir in the appellation accounting for less than 150 of the 2400 hectares under vine in the appellation, and thus there are limited examples available from this terroir in isolation out there in the wild. I suspect that fruit from these sites typically gets blended with fruit from other lieux-dits. Two examples that I am aware of from the this type of terroir are the cuvées ‘Les Peuilles’ from Olga Raffault and “Le Domaine” from Bernard Baudry. I also believe Bernard Baudry’s Chinon Rosé comes from parcels on aeolian sands.

Style and Cellaring Potential: Since there are few examples bottled from this terroir, it would be difficult for me to articulate what to expect from this wine in the glass. From my research and conversations with producers, these particular soils have yet to be properly exploited to really understand what they can give in terms of potential fruit quality and how this might translate to the finished wine. There is a consensus, however, that these terroirs have extremely high potential of producing compelling, age-worthy cuvées. Suffice it to say, there is more research to be done to better understand this particular terroir in the Chinon appellation.

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Do you have a favourite wine from these alluvial soils in Chinon? I would love to know your experience with any of these wines or if you have discovered another cuvée from these soils that you are particularly smitten with. Hit me up in the comments below!