Béatrice et Pascal Lamebrt, 2018 Chinon "Les Terrasses"
Cab Franc du Jour #33
The domaine was established in 1987 by Béatrice and her husband Pascal, and they farm 18 hectares of vineyards in the commune of Cravant-les-Côteaux. Their vineyards have been farmed organically for over 20 years and received biodynamic certification in 2005.
The Commune of Cravant-les-Côteaux
Cravant-les-Côteaux sits on the right bank, or north side, of the Vienne River, less than 10km downstream from the village of Chinon. The commune contains three distinct groups of soils, and today we are focusing on one of them.
Just past Chinon, the Vienne valley opens up and the alluvial plains flanking the river become more pronounced. It is on these plains, known locally as Les Terraces, that the sandy-gravelly soils are found. The gravel and sand here were formed around 15,000 years ago from sedimentary materials eroded and deposited by the flowing Vienne River.
These soils have a distinctive set of viticultural characteristics. They drain freely and retain moisture less effectively than clay, warm up quickly in spring, and tend toward earlier budbreak and earlier harvest. They also carry a little more natural fertility, so yields here tend to be somewhat more generous. The Turonian tuffeau chalk bedrock is still present beneath, but the deeper topsoil means the vine roots must travel further to reach it.
The Vineyard and Winemaking
The 2018 Les Terraces is sourced from vines ranging from 10 to 30 years of age on these sandy-gravelly soils. The fruit is hand-harvested and fully destemmed, with fermentation taking place in concrete without any pigéage techniques.
Wine Details
Producer: Béatrice et Pascal Lambert
Appellation: Chinon
Commune: Cravant-les-Côteaux
Lieux-Dits: Various
Soil: Sand and gravel
Alcohol: 13.5%