Domaine Philippe Alliet, 2018 Chinon ‘L’Huisserie’
Cab Franc du Jour #119
The story of Domaine Philippe Alliet begins in 1985, when Philippe inherited parcels of vines around the hamlet of Briançon in Cravant-les-Côteaux from his father and uncle. These parcels formed the foundation of the domaine in its early years and now contribute to what is probably its most iconic cuvée, the Vieilles Vignes. Today, Philippe and his wife Claude, joined now by their son Pierre, tend around 19 hectares of vines, 18 of which are Cabernet Franc. The majority are in Cravant-les-Côteaux, with key holdings in the Chinon commune that make up the domaine’s top wines: parcels in the lieux-dits of Coteau de Noiré and l’Huisserie.
Philippe Alliet’s legacy in Chinon is a significant one. A lover of the great wines of Bordeaux and a firm believer in the potential for exceptional Cabernet Franc from Chinon’s terroirs, he was in the early 1990s among the first vignerons in the appellation to champion low yields, optimally ripe fruit, rigorous work in the vineyard, and long élevage in barrel. These principles quickly earned the domaine widespread recognition and inspired a generation of producers to pursue a similarly quality-driven vision for Chinon.
The Commune of Chinon
The commune of Chinon is among the most complex in the appellation from a terroir standpoint. While vineyards are found on both sides of the Vienne River, the majority are concentrated on the north bank, spanning roughly 4km from north to south and about 6km from east to west, with the vineyard area somewhat scattered around the village of Chinon and several smaller hamlets.
The topography undulates considerably, with elevations ranging from around 40 to 100m above sea level and exposures in every direction, all of which influence ripening through varying degrees of sun exposure. That range in elevation is a useful guide to the terroirs found at a given height. To the west and north of the Chinon village, the majority of vineyards sit between 55 and 75m above sea level, predominantly on Upper Turonian yellow tuffeau chalk with various alterations including millarges. Very close to the village and the Chinon fortress, a small cluster of vineyards at around 80 to 100m above sea level sits on soils dating to the Senonian and Bartonian ages: deeper clays and sandy-clays with flint or quartz components.
In the eastern part of the commune, the terroir picture grows more complex. This is where several of Chinon’s most celebrated vineyards sit within a few hundred metres of one another, including Couly-Dutheil’s Clos de l’Olive, Charles Joguet’s Clos du Chêne Vert, Clos Guillot most closely associated with Bernard Baudry, and Philippe Alliet’s Coteau de Noiré. Together these sites constitute what is often referred to as Chinon’s premier côte, the first in a series of sloping vineyard pockets that stretch eastward through Cravant-les-Côteaux and into Panzoult. All share the influence of the Upper Turonian yellow tuffeau chalk bedrock.
L’Huisserie: The Lieu-Dit
Though only 300 to 900m from these premier côte sites, l’Huisserie is on an entirely different terroir. It sits among a cluster of vineyards above and north of the premier côte, arranged in a loose arc at elevations of around 90 to 100m above sea level. Here the soils are deeper, heavier clays of Senonian age with virtually no tuffeau chalk influence. The proximity to a large forested area to the northwest adds a further cooling effect to what are already naturally cooler conditions imparted by the clay soils themselves.
Historically, the most prized sites in Chinon were those on south-facing slopes with shallow soils and the warming influence of the tuffeau chalk, conditions that ensured reliable ripening across most vintages. In recent years, however, following a run of warmer seasons including 2018, 2020, and 2022, sites like l’Huisserie are increasingly showing their value. Clay’s ability to retain moisture creates a cooler soil environment that slows ripening, and in warmer vintages this may prove advantageous in achieving a better alignment between phenolic and sugar maturity. Whether this pattern holds over the long term remains to be seen, but it is a development worth following closely for those interested in the evolution of Chinon’s finest terroirs.
Philippe Alliet acquired the l’Huisserie parcels in 2000 and planted the vines in 2001. The domaine holds 2.9 hectares here within a larger lieu-dit of about 5.8 hectares divided into two parts. The Alliet parcels occupy the western section, on a gentle south to southeast-facing slope at elevations of around 92 to 99m above sea level. The topsoil is clay with a mix of flint and quartz throughout, and the subsoil is clay as well.
In the Cellar
The fruit is hand-harvested, hand-sorted, and fully destemmed. Fermentation takes place in concrete with indigenous yeast, with light pump-overs of around 10 minutes per day to aid gentle extraction. After approximately three weeks on skins, the free-run and press wines are separated and only the free-run wine is used in the final cuvée. Élevage takes place in 500L oak barrels with just 5% new oak for 12 months, followed by six months in concrete before bottling.
Wine Details
Producer: Domaine Philippe Alliet
Appellation: Chinon
Commune: Chinon
Lieu-Dit: L’Huisserie
Soils: 50-80cm clay (argile) topsoil with flint and quartz, clay (argile) subsoil
Alcohol: 13.5%