Couly-Dutheil, 2017 Chinon ‘Clos de l'Echo’
Cab Franc du Jour #67
Couly-Dutheil is one of Chinon’s benchmark producers. The estate was established by Baptiste Dutheil in 1921, and Baptiste’s daughter Madeleine later married René Couly, which is how the hyphenated name came to be. Today it is Arnaud Couly, Madeleine’s grandson, who runs the domaine. The estate spans 90 hectares in Chinon, of which about 80 hectares are planted with Cabernet Franc. Among all their holdings, two sites stand apart as the most prized: the Clos de l’Echo and the Clos de l’Olive, both in the commune of Chinon.
Clos de l’Echo: History
Clos de l’Echo is, by most accounts, one of the most highly regarded vineyards for Cabernet Franc in Chinon, if not in the entire Loire Valley. Baptiste Dutheil purchased his first hectare here in 1925 and gradually acquired the remaining parcels over the following decades, eventually bringing the entire 17-hectare site under the family’s control as a monopole.
The vineyard’s history is as compelling as its terroir. In the 12th century it is believed to have been owned by royalty, sitting only a few hundred metres from the Chinon Fortress, which served as a royal residence during that period. By the 15th century, the vineyard formed part of the estate of Antoine Rabelais, father of Chinon’s most celebrated son, the author and philosopher François Rabelais. Phylloxera eventually claimed the vines, and the site was converted to wheat until Baptiste Dutheil purchased his first hectare and began replanting in the 1930s.
The name itself carries its own legend. Standing in the vineyard and calling out toward the northern wall of the Chinon Fortress, your voice echoes back. According to local lore, men would come to this place to ask the walls whether their lovers had been faithful.
Clos de l’Echo: Terroir
The majority of the vineyard occupies a steep south-facing slope, with the exception of 5 hectares at the northern edge that sit on a gently north-sloping plateau. Elevations here are among the highest in Chinon, ranging from around 95 to 98m above sea level. The open, exposed nature of the site means that breezes move freely through the vineyard, reducing mildew pressure.
In terms of soils, the dominant influence is a Senonian-era hydromorphic clay, with a stony topsoil carrying a mix of clay, flint, and quartz pebbles throughout. A limestone bedrock of the same geological period lies below, but it is the clay that defines the character of this site.
Today’s wine comes from approximately 8 hectares of the full south-facing portion of the vineyard. The vines average around 50 years of age, with the oldest reaching approximately 75 years. Arnaud favours longer hang-times, picking later to achieve full phenolic ripeness.
In the Cellar
The fruit is hand-picked and fully destemmed. Fermentation takes place entirely in stainless steel with indigenous yeast, followed by a long post-fermentation maceration of approximately four weeks with some pigeage during that time. Arnaud prefers a shorter élevage in order to preserve fruit character, aging the wine for approximately 12 months in stainless steel before bottling. The wine is then typically aged in bottle for a further two to three years before release.
Wine Details
Producer: Domaine Couly-Dutheil
Appellation: Chinon
Commune: Chinon
Lieu-Dit: Clos de l’Echo
Soil: Senonian-era clay with flint
Alcohol: 14.5%