Domaine de la Marinière, 2017 Chinon “Vieilles Vignes”
Cab Franc du Jour #69
The Desbourdes family purchased their farm at Marinière in the commune of Panzoult in 1965. Several years of preparation were needed before the land was ready for viticulture, and by 1971 Domaine de la Marinière was established. Renaud Desbourdes took over from his parents in 1999, and today his son Boris has joined the estate. If you are not following Boris on Instagram, that is well worth correcting: for a behind-the-scenes look at some of the less glamorous but essential realities of life as a vigneron, as well as an eclectic collection of socks, he is absolutely worth a follow.
The Commune of Panzoult
Today’s wine takes us to Panzoult, a commune on the right bank, or north side, of the Vienne River in Chinon. It sits just east of Cravant-les-Côteaux along the river and is the second largest producing commune in the appellation after Cravant-les-Côteaux, which accounts for around 50% of total Chinon production.
There are broadly three main viticultural zones in Panzoult. The first is the alluvial plain very close to the Vienne, only about 500m from the river, an extension of the alluvial terrace found in Cravant-les-Côteaux. The soils here are deep, predominantly sand and silt, with very little clay or gravel.
The second zone is a pocket of alluvial terroir further along the river around the hamlet of Roncé, where a sandy-silt mix carries a considerably higher proportion of gravel and pebbles, with stoniness in the topsoil ranging from 25 to 100% depending on the parcel. The third zone is a small, narrow band of sloped vineyards set back 2 to 3km from the Vienne, arcing along the edge of the forests to the north. Exposures here are either full south or slightly southeast depending on the position, with the bedrock being either Middle Turonian or Upper Turonian tuffeau chalk depending on elevation.
The Lieux-Dits
Today’s wine is sourced from approximately 3 to 4 hectares of vines planted between 1975 and 1985 across three neighbouring lieux-dits: Les Ribotées, Bordebure, and La Galippe. All three are situated on these slopes, butting up against the edge of the forest. The bedrock is predominantly the Upper Turonian yellow tuffeau chalk, and the topsoil is a mix of sand, silt, and clay. Boris notes that the microclimate of their particular parcels tends to reduce frost risk, and the character of the terroir contributes to a slightly more marked tannic structure in the finished wines.
In the Cellar
The fruit is a combination of hand-picked and machine-harvested, fully destemmed. Fermentation takes place in concrete tanks with a maceration of three to four weeks and some pump-overs during that time. The wine then rests in concrete for a couple of months before being transferred to older 400L oak barrels for approximately six months prior to bottling.
Wine Details
Producer: Domaine de la Marinière
Appellation: Chinon
Commune: Panzoult
Lieu-Dit: Les Ribotées, Bordebure, la Galippe
Soil: Sand-silt-clay topsoil atop the upper Turonian yellow tuffeau
Alcohol: 12.5%