21370 customer reviews

Bertrand Minchin - Le Claux Delorme Valençay Red 2016

Bertrand Minchin - Le Claux Delorme Valençay Rouge 2016

Valençay|Red wine

3.4/5 (21 customers)

2*Étoiles

Hachette

16/20

Bettane & Desseauve

“This Valençay reveals a pleasing nose of black fruits and cherries soaked in brandy. Round and full-bodied, supported by smooth, velvety tannins, the palate combines power and freshness and unfolds into a long finish. It has a beautiful character and good aging potential.” (Le Guide Hachette des Vins 2019). Claux Delorme’s red Valençay blends the four grape varieties of the AOC—Gamay, Côt, Cabernet Franc, and Pinot Noir—grown on a flinty clay terroir . They produce a complex, dense, and precise wine with very round fruit. Ideal for discovering this all-too-little-known appellation.

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21370 reviews

-20€

Starting at €99 on your first order

Estate

Domaines Minchin

Vintage

2016

Designation

Valençay

Region

Loire

Grape Varieties

40% Gamay, 30% Côt, 20%, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Pinot Noir

Regions

Flint clay in the subsoil, with a surface layer of gravel approximately 30 to 60 cm thick

Viticulture

Cover cropping, the most environmentally friendly cultivation method possible. Bud removal, leaf removal, and green harvesting as needed. Yield: 45 Hl/Ha

Grape Harvest

Manuals

Winemaking

Some of the grape varieties are vinified separately; cold pre-fermentation maceration; 30-day fermentation in small tanks (50 Hl)

Livestock farming

95% is aged in tanks. Only 5% of the Cabernet Franc and Cot are aged in barrels.

Alcohol content

12,5%

Eye

Garnet color, intense, with purple highlights

Nose

Spicy nose with hints of mocha, aromas of violet, cherry, morello cherry, and blackberries

Palate

Delicate, rich, and fresh. Dense, refined tannins and beautifully ripe fruit.

Serve

Decant at 12-14°C

Drink from

2019

Drink before

2021

Food and wine pairings

À déguster sur des viandes grillées, un magret de canard, une daube de boeuf, des terrines ou pâtés, des fromages de brebis...<br/>

More information at Domaines Minchin

More information at Valençay

Bettane & Desseauve

Wine rated (2019 guide) 16/20 (Very good wine)

Rated estate (2026 guide): 3 stars (High-quality production, setting the standard in its sector)

About the estate:

On his 17-hectare vineyard, Bertrand Minchin, a cheerful and engaging winemaker, continues to make progress. His estate in Menetou-Salon is now certified organic, and the one in Valencay is in the process of conversion. Over the years, he has refined the style of his reds, which are now among the best in the region, and his whites—often well-structured—have also gained in precision. The range offers superb value for money.

Guide Hachette des vins

Wine rated (2019 guide) 2** stars (Outstanding wine)

Rated estate (2026 guide) Mentioned (Successful wine)

About the wine:

This Valençay reveals a pleasing nose of black fruits and cherries soaked in brandy. Round and full-bodied, supported by smooth, velvety tannins, the palate combines power and freshness and unfolds into a long finish. It has a beautiful character and good aging potential.

About the estate:

A stalwart of the Menetou-Salon appellation with his Dom. la Tour Saint-Martin, Bertrand Minchin—equally at home with reds as with whites—has been at the helm of 17 hectares of vineyards on the hills above Morogues since 1987, currently in the process of converting to organic farming. In 2004, he expanded into the Valençay appellation with the 15 hectares of Claux Delorme in Selles-sur-Cher, where he quickly established himself as a leading producer.

RVF - The French Wine Review / Guide to the Best Wines of France

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

Rated estate (2026 guide) Selected (Please note that this guide is a ranking, and as such, all the estates listed here—even those without a star—represent, in our view, the pinnacle of French winemaking.)

About the estate:

Bertrand Minchin is based in Morogues, a Menetou-Salon appellation, with the La Tour Saint Martin estate, and also in Valençay (Claux Delorme)—two estates that together form Domaines Minchin. The Valençay wines are lively and straightforward; the Menetou-Salon vintages are vinified with precision. The Sauvignons reflect the character of their terroir thanks to meticulous craftsmanship, as do the skillfully crafted reds. The estate has been certified Organic since 2022.

Customer rating

3.4/5

based on 21 reviews

Review and comment by Mr. PATRICE L. Posted on 02/12/2023

This wine is wonderfully surprising, with delicate, subtle notes of red fruits—red currants, cherries, blackberries... BUT be careful: you must let it breathe for THREE hours before drinking it. It’s young and still contains a lot of CO2, which changes its taste! Otherwise, it’s pure magic… 2 stars in the Guide Hachette des vins and 16/20 from Dessauve and Beltanne… for less than €8. I love it…