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120 Chinon AC 2009 Clos du Noyer
Domaine GrosboisGrape:100% Cabernet Franc (12.5% alc.)
The Grosbois’ top wine comes from 20 to 40 year old vines with a due south aspect right at the top of a gentle sloping river terrace near Panzoult, where the soil is made up of ‘millarge’ (a marine sediment). Meticulous viticulture (yields of only 30hh) have given a wine with lush fruit (black/red), supple and mineral on the palate with fine, well integrated tannins. For drinking now to 2014+.
Technical Information Winemaker: Nicolas Grosbois who helped make wine in Chile, Oregon, Australia and New Zealand Location: Panzoult Size of
domaine:9 hectares of which Clos du Noyer comprises 1.2 hectares Grape: 100% Cabernet Franc (known locally as Breton) 20 & 40 years old. Planted at a density of 4700 vines per hectare on 3309 rootstock. Clonal selection (3 different clones) Terroir: Right at the top of the gentle Panzoult hillside just below the woods. The soils are a sandy-clay marine sediment (called ‘millarge’) with lots of fossils weathering out on the surface. There is a 4 metre thick rock made up of conglomerated millarge 40cm from the surface and limestone below that. The vineyard is tilted due south. Viticulture: In conversion to certified organic viticulture. Debud and carry out vendanges en vert. No herbicides. Plough between March to the middle of summer. Use sulphur against oidium. Mechanical harvest. Yield 30 hectos per hectare. Vinification: Table de trie used to quality check the grapes. 2 to 3 days of pre-fermentation at 8 to 12°C. Destalked 100%. Pass by gravity into open stainless steel vats (just 1.3 metres high, but 3 metres wide) for the fermentation. Natural indigenous yeasts. 1 pigeage (by hand) every 2 days during the 12 days of fermentation at temperatures varying between 22 to 28° C. 3 days cuvaison post fermentation then pressed (horizontal press). Elevage of 12 months in cuve. Racked once after malos and then once or twice before bottling. Unfined but lightly filtered by kieselghur. Press: