Domaine de la Noblaie, Chinon, Temps Cerises

A delightful expression of Loire cabernet franc to serve on the cooler side, pure and light on nose and palate, with succulent red fruit and smooth finish. It's a great example of modern Chinon. The Billard family now has 22 hectares of vines around the house plus a couple of satellite vineyards, around the hamlet of Le Vau Breton, a name which in the time of 15th-century poet and trencherman Rabelais meant ‘The Valley of Cabernet Franc`, the grape of …

Crunch red fruit, fresh & bright acidity, hints of black currant leaf and green capsicum. Still a bit young - plenty of grip and firm tannins. Probably best in two or three years time.

I agree that this is a nice entry level Chinon with bright cherry fruit, bell pepper, good minerality and a hint of mint that I associate with these wines. It is also nicely aromatic with a medium finish. It is not that complex, but it is a very satisfying QPR.

This is close to my ideal for one and a bit year old Chinon. Medium bodied and bursting with ripe CabFranc fruit and showing a typical leafiness, charcoal touch, minerality and moreish acidity, but free of that resinous note which, for me, disfigures a lot of young entry level wines of this type. It was difficult not to empty the bottle in one sitting. I will definitely buy enough more bottles to drink in the next few months but don't …