B-21 Top Recommendation Read More
In the broader consumer market, Chinon's best wines can be accounted for in just a handful of names - Joguet, Raffault, and a few others. Today, however, there are several small, family-run domaines that are turning out truly eye-opening results that compete with the long-time standard bearers, and Domaine Grosbois is a prime example.
Brothers Sylvain and Nicolas Grosbois are artisan to the core, running their domaine as a true holistic, polyculture farm, not only as a commercial vineyard. Meticulous viticulture, prime holdings, and top-class winemaking all come together in a reference-point range from top to bottom. The single-vineyard cuvées represent the very best of Chinon. There are no rustic hard edges or vegetal undertones to detract from the jaw-dropping purity of the fruit and the crystal clear expression of the individual terroirs. First up, from a 2-hectare parcel planted on almost pure limestone, the 93-point 2021 Montet is unique among the Grosbois range in that it's the only wine to see any oak. Showcasing "a focused, compact style ... so much pent-up energy ... [and] lovely, persistent length," the Montet is a hallmark of modern, age-worthy Cabernet Franc . Contrasting perfectly with the 2021 Montet, the 2022 Clos du Noyer, from a 1.24-hectare site on sandier soils, "is sleek, intensely concentrated and full of substance." The racy, medium-weight profile conveys a real sense of elegance and complexity already, and it will blossom into a fascinating counterpoint to the Montet over the coming decade.
Simply put, this pair of sleeper hits from Grosbois is can't-miss opportunity for fans of Loire reds to get acquainted with two of the very best examples out there. |