Domaine de Noire, “Soif de Tendresse”, Chinon, France 2020

Violet-scented, smooth as silk and tangy: the most satisfying Cabernet Franc wines hail from the cellars of Domaine de Noiré in Chinon. Winemaker Jean-Max Manceau, a Chinon native, has long been a champion of the region’s reds, and his own wines are the standard for the heights Chinon can achieve.

What sets Domaine de Noiré apart is not only its impeccable terroir but also its understanding of the potential of old-vine Cabernet Franc in Chinon, one of the few Loire appellations dedicated to red wines. These are wines that strike an effortless balance between playful and profound—delicate floral perfumes reveal a multilayered mouthful of summer-ripe fruit and spices with each sip.

Manceau is as deeply rooted in Chinon as his many older Cabernet Franc vines. For years, he worked as an enologist for a local winery, while holding the presidency of the Chinon AOC and heading up a commission to preserve winemaking traditions in the greater Loire Valley. He and his wife Odile repurchased Domaine de Noiré in the early 2000s (the domaine once belonged to Odile’s family) and have quickly re-established the estate as a leading producer of exceptionally pure Cabernet Franc wines.

Estate vineyards are located between Chinon and Cravant, on a plateau with mineral-rich, stony soils, and face full south, allowing grapes to ripen fully, giving the resulting wines more structure and depth. Vines are on average 30 years old, and are certified organic.

Harvest is done by hand, and grapes are generally destemmed and fermented on indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks. Most wines are also aged in tank; some selections are fermented and aged in terracotta (clay) amphorae, a vessel that allows oxygen transfer but is neutral, unlike oak barrels.