Chinon
Styles
Principal grape varieties
Accessory grape varieties
Terroir
Natural factors
- Vineyard spanning 26 communes in Indre-et-Loire, along the Vienne and on the left banks of the Indre and the Loire.
- Two main soil types: soft Turonian chalks and argilo-siliceous formations of the Senonian (Upper Cretaceous).
- Filtering sandy-gravelly soils derived from the floodplain of the Vienne, complementing the Cretaceous formations.
- Oceanic to semi-continental climate, warmer and drier than the rest of Touraine, with early spring bud break.
Human factors
- Cab. franc, known locally as 'breton', was established via the Loire as early as the Plantagenet era; Rabelais mentions it in 1534.
- The AOC Chinon was recognised on 31 July 1937; the vineyard has grown from 550 ha (1937) to 2,400 ha (2009).
Product characteristics
- Reds: deep ruby to garnet in appearance, supple tannins, aromas of red and black berry fruits, developing smoky, cocoa, and spice notes.
- Ageing potential varies by terroir: 2–5 years for gravel-based wines (served at 15–16 °C), 10–20 years for tuffeau-based wines (served at 17–18 °C).
Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.
Sources
- Product specification (BO Agri, PDF), JORF 22 juin 2018
- Official INAO text (show_texte)
- INAO product entry
- Official trade body site — InterLoire