2019 Domaine de Pallus, Chinon Rouge, Le Clos de Pallus, Loire Valley, France.
This 2019 Chinon Le Clos de Pallus by vigneron Bertrand Sourdais at Domaine de Pallus is very pretty and evolving beautifully in the bottle, giving a deep and pure Cab Franc with aromatic and extra rewards in the glass and should continue on a rewarding path for another decade. The palate is full of blackberry, wild plum, earthy black cherry and lingering red currant fruits, along with violets, bell pepper, minty anise, truffle, chalky stones, cedar and a light leathery note. The Le Clos de Pallus, or The Clos, is made from an enclosed section of vines planted back in 1962 and it is located close to the Sourdais family home on siliceous clay over calcareous soils. All the grapes are grown with biodynamic methods, certified organic in 2009, which get 100% de-stemming and natural fermentation in open top wood vat with more than three weeks of maceration before being aged in old Burgundy barrels for at least 18 months. There’s a lot to admire here and this 2019, not the most acclaimed year, rises above the normal and is really drinking fabulously well and I highly recommend it to Cab Franc enthusiasts.
The Domaine de Pallus, a fifth generation estate, is located in the village of Cravant-le-Côteaux, situated in the heart of the appellation, and has a collection of some of Chinon’s most coveted vineyards. In fact Domaine de Pallus has 12 out of the 70 hectares hat are prime hillside sites that are considered grand cru quality parcels, including the Le Clos de Pallus plot. From 2005 Bertrand Sourdais has been in charge here and has made quite name for himself and the winery for the excellence of the Domaine de Pallus wines, both Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, as seen here. While somewhat under the radar, Loire fans are making these wines scarce and highly prized. Interestingly Bertrand, who grew up at Pallus, first found fame in Spain after completing his enology studies in Bordeaux, and though achieving that stardom in Spain, Sourdais still had his heart in Chinon. He had passion for its emblematic variety, Cabernet Franc, so, it was inevitable that he would someday return to his family’s estate. Every time I’ve tried these Domaine de Pallus wines I’ve been impressed, but this 2019, which is a real deal, is a step above what I had before and I am really excited for the 2020 and 2022 versions, from top vintages.
($40 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive