Tasting Note: Chinon AOC (2013-03-28)

I just finished another 3 days tasting this week. This week, I picked wines from the Chinon, where is part of the Loire Valley (France). My decision happened when I wrote the review of Loire whites. It is unusual for the Loire Valley (known as whites) that the Chinon produces mostly red wine, 2 to 5% rosé, and a little white wines. Plus, I had a good Chinon dinning with a friend. Therefore, the Chinon reds were served.

The town of Chinon is on the bank the Vienne River. Cabernet Franc-based reds are well-known in Chinon. The characters of the wines are dry, light to medium body, high tannin, and high acid; the soft and clean finish makes the wine very down to earth.

I tasted these wines before, during, and after dinner.

1. 2010 Pierre Ferrand Chinon Château de Ligré (Cabernet Franc)
  This wine has intense tannin and acid, bone-dry. I can felt very little of strawberry and many peppers. I think this wine is slightly off-balance; however, it went well with wild range of food (I have try fatty meat, spicy food, and heavy herbal.) This wine didn't change much within 3 days. I would only drink it with food.

2. 2009 Domaine de Pallus Chinon Les Pensées de Pallus (Cabernet Franc)
  It's very oaky and smokey in the beginning with a hint of blackberry. Smooth tannin and high acid are balanced in harmony. After decanted, I can feel little touch of vanilla and some unripe berries. This bottle is more balanced than the first bottle. This is a very pleasant wine. The second day is its prime out of three days.

The price of the second bottle is almost double of the first bottle. It was not quite fair to compare them together. However, these two wines gave me confidence to pick up a bottle of Chinon to pair with any (non-sweet and unknown) food.