Domaine de la Marinière, Chinon La Peau de l'Ours 2021

• producer: Domaine de la Marinière
• region: Loire Valley
• appellation: Chinon
• country: FRA
• grape variety: cabernet franc
• production notes: certified organic

The Domaine de la Marinière, situated in Panzoult on the eastern edge of Chinon, has been farmed by the Desbourdes family since 1965. The land here was initially used as a polycultural farm, raising animals and growing cereal grains in addition to grapes. Renaud Desbourdes returned to help his father in the 1980s, turning the focus to grape growing and winemaking and expanding the vineyard plantings, and eventually took full control of the domaine in 1999. Today, Renaud’s son, Boris, has joined his father full-time, and is helping to take this traditional family farm into the next generation. Boris initially became passionate about organic farming after working with Vincent Laval in Champagne, and upon his return, he immediately transitioned his family’s vineyards to organics. 

This 100% cabernet franc from the Loire Valley hits all of the classic notes of cabernet franc with green notes of bell peppers and the woodsy spice of white peppercorn. The twist is that this wine was carbonically macerated, which brings forward fresh red fruit notes and some extra zip.