Charles Joguet - Clos de la Plante Martin 2016

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

Hints of white flowers; clean and briny on the palate.

About the estate:

For Anne-Charlotte Genet, the pursuit of perfectly balanced tannins that are smooth and seamless is the key to producing wines that are enjoyable both young and aged. The result is a range of captivating wines that embody charm, complexity, sensuality, and great refinement. With a rare insight into the vineyard and the winemaking process, this estate represents the very best of the Chinon region.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

A Chenin harvested at just the right ripeness, with subtle toasty notes and a delicious exotic touch. Well-balanced, refined, with a flavorful body and extremely easy to drink.

About the estate:

Founded in 1957 by Charles Joguet in Sazilly, on the left bank of the Vienne River, this estate has returned to the top of the Chinon appellation—a testament to the team overseeing winemaking and the vineyards, selected by owner Jacques Genet. They maintain a high standard of excellence, given the estate’s size. Above all, the winemakers have revived a vibrant spirit of freshness in their great Cabernets, which are unique in that they are grown on northeast-facing slopes. Few Loire estates possess such essential flagship wines: Clos de la Dioterie (2 hectares of 80-year-old vines on clay-limestone soils, northeast-facing, in Sazilly), Clos du Chêne Vert (2 hectares in the town of Chinon, southwest-facing, steep slope, clay-limestone and flinty clay), Les Varennes du Grand Clos (4.5 hectares in Sazilly), aged eighteen months in barrels then ten months in bottles before release. As for the entry-level cuvées, they succeed in making Cabernet Franc accessible and refined, without losing the terroir’s character. This is a great quality! These modern Cabernet Francs, both refined and deep, achieve the remarkable feat of remaining approachable, as seen in the 2019, 2020, and now 2021 vintages—among the most ambitious in the Loire!

Wine Spectator

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

This dry, spicy wine features the typical hazelnut aromas of Chenin Blanc, complemented by intense acidity. Its freshness blends seamlessly with the wine’s richness and fullness, intertwined with minerality and aromas of sliced apple and citrus.

Le Figaro vins

About the wine:

What a superb wine! White Chinon—an appellation often overshadowed by the sheer number of reds produced there—yet one that deserves the utmost attention, as this vintage effortlessly demonstrates, with subtle notes of toasted hazelnut, citrus, and peaches resting on a mineral foundation. On the palate, it is precise, remarkably lively, and has beautiful length. A must-try.