Domaine Grosbois 'Cuisine de ma Mère' Chinon 2021
The Grosbois brothers roamed the world, making wine in foreign countries such as New Zealand, Argentina, Australia, and Italy, before placing roots in the land of their ancestors. They returned full of knowledge and ideas, joining a new generation of winemakers in the Loire Valley. Their family domaine is situated in the heart of the Loire Valley, in Panzoult, AOP Chinon. The domaine sits on the right bank of the Vienne between Tours and Saumur, around the site of the Pressoir (translating to winepress in English), a 15th century fortified farm. In 1991, their parents, Jacques and Jocelyne, moved to the family domaine and took on the cultivation of the vines. They passed the torch to Nicolas in 2008, with Sylvain joining in 2019. The family was reunited at last.
The wines of Chinon are close to Nicolas and Sylvain’s heart. To borrow an expression from their friend and neighbor Jaques Puisais, “(the wines of Chinon) are the soul of the place, and the heart of the winemaker.” Grown in the domaine’s microclimate in respect of organic and biodynamic agriculture, the domaines’ wines offer harmonious balance and reveal a unique character. The main part of the vineyard is located on a slope, safe from flooding in the gentle hillsides of Panzoult. It is composed of friable millarge (soil derived from underlying shell-rich sands) and yellow sand quartz which conserves the heat until the end of the growing season in September, at which point the Cabernet Franc is perfectly ripened.
Simply put, this wine presents itself like Mom’s cooking. In this bottle, there are only grapes, courage, and an enormous amount of love, just like the recipes made by Sylvain and Nicolas’s mother. Hand harvested, completely de-stemmed and vinified using indigenous yeasts, this wine is grown on a 12 hectare parcel (29.7 acres) driven by organic agriculture and structured around three terroirs. After aging in a cellar for up to three years, this wine pairs best with barbecue and red meat.
Red fruit notes of cherry and strawberry. Earthy notes of smoke and minerals. Spice notes of pepper, licorice, and cinnamon.
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Varietal Composition | 100% Cabernet Franc |
| Appellation | Chinon |
| Alcohol | 12.00% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Country of Origin | FRANCE |
| State of Origin | N/A |
| Artificially Carbonated | No |
| Sparkling Wine | No |
