Description
Château du Petit Thouars, Chinon “L’Epée”
Don’t think a $29 bottle of wine qualifies as a collectible? Today’s beautifully aged and resolutely classic French red treasure says otherwise. When it comes to encapsulating one of the world’s most historically important grapes and regions, Petit Thouars’ 2017 “L’Epée” Chinon is a godsend, privilege, and paragon all in one. In other words, certain vintage-producer-price combinations are just extra-special, and this wine delivers more authenticity, complexity, and pure joy at $29 than any serious wine lover has a right to expect.
I’d like to expand on that authenticity. Today’s region-defining estate holds a history so rich, it could fill out the entire Smithsonian: Surrounded by vines and a crumbling stone wall is a dominating, 500-year-old limestone castle where no less than 12 generations of a single lineage have thrived and produced seriously elegant, highly aromatic Cabernet Franc. And, for reasons unbeknownst to me, their prices have remained remarkably low despite what many Loire contemporaries are now charging for their (oft-inferior) wines. Everything a Cab lover could possibly ask for is here: perfume, minerality, fruit, energy, savoriness—and a dynamic finish that seems to expand with each sip. Find some room for a case if you can because this bulletproof investment is showing no signs of slowing at five years of age.
I constantly find myself recommending Cabernet Franc to people looking for an alternative to top Cru Beaujolais, red Burgundy, Northern Rhône, or any wine that sublimely balances brilliant fruit with elegant, mineral structure. And nowhere does Cabernet Franc shine as a solo act quite like historic Chinon in the Loire Valley, especially when the vines are old and the wine-producing estate is steeped in centuries of tradition. Constructed as a hunting lodge in the early 16th century and home to the Petit Thouars family since 1636, this breathtaking château is among the Loire Valley’s most premier, historic properties. Today, 12th-generation Sebastién du Petit Thouars, along with his wife and two children, oversees this sprawling estate with great aplomb.
For their “L’Epée” cuvée, they look to a couple of prized vineyards, “Les Plantes” and “Le Clos,” and farm their 40+-year-old Cabernet Franc with sustainable practices. In their limestone cellar/cave, which was the main source of building material for their ancient château, the grapes are 100% de-stemmed. Impressively, over two-thirds of the cuvée comes from precious free-run juice, i.e. the weight of the grapes above act as a natural press. The juice then ferments naturally in a combination of stainless steel and old French barrels. After six months, the wine is racked off its fine lees and placed back into these vessels for an additional 12 months. It is finally bottled nearly two years (!) after the initial harvest without any fining.
Petit Thouars’ 2017 “L’Epée” flaunts a vibrant ruby and deep purple in the glass and exhibits heaps of black raspberry, black plum, mulberry, redcurrant, and licorice that perfectly coexist with the “terroir-driven” side of Cabernet Franc: damp violet, crushed graphite, dried underbrush, wild herbs, bell pepper, lead, and star anise. The wine shows no perceptible oak influence: it’s all about pure, fragrant fruit, mineral savor, enlivening acidity, and structured, fine-grained tannins. In other words: this is an absolutely perfect representation of Loire Cabernet Franc! It is superbly balanced and considerably energetic with a longer, more complex finish than your typical bistro Chinon. And, while it is supremely drinkable after about 10-15 minutes in a decanter, I can see this aging 3-5 more years if kept well. For an immediate return on your investment, crack a bottle now and serve it at 60 degrees in a Bordeaux stem. The immense pleasure and Cab Franc typicity it provides is off the charts. Cheers!
