Join us every Friday for a wine tasting! From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., we will feature five wines to help expand your palates. Tastings are $10 and include a 10% discount with the purchase of a bottle from the tasting.

This Friday’s tasting will feature wines with Loire Producer, Jean-Maurice Raffault.

Jean-Maurice Raffault and Rodolphe Raffault come from a family that has been growing vines in Chinon for over 14 generations. It all started back in 1693 when Mathurin Bottreau bought his first vineyard. These days, Domaine Jean-Maurice Raffault manages 50 hectares of vines spread across 7 communes. On average, the Cabernet Franc vines are around 35 years old, and 10 hectares of vines are about 50 years old. The Chenin Blanc vines are a bit younger, averaging around 20 years.

Harvest. Clos de l'Hospice is an extraordinary one-hectare vineyard and one of Chinon's greatest sites.

One standout spot is Clos de l'Hospice, an amazing one-hectare vineyard considered one of the best in Chinon. The late Jean-Maurice Raffault, Rodolphe's father and a key figure in the region, took charge of the family Domaine in 1973. He changed the game by shifting focus from mixed farming to growing only wine grapes. Starting with just 4.5 hectares inherited from his father, he expanded the Domaine to 50 hectares, becoming a major player in the Les Picasses vineyard. He also began making wine from each parcel separately, showcasing the unique characteristics of the land.

After studying at Dijon University, Rodolphe took over as winemaker and manager in 1997. He keeps the tradition alive by aging each wine individually, with maceration lasting 15 to 28 days. The wines mature in older neutral oak casks, and their impressive cellar holds 900 barrels, making it the largest in the area. The aging takes place for 18 months in big caves carved into limestone, which stay cool and dark. Racking is done by traditionally transferring wine from barrel to barrel, helping to clarify it, and they also fine the wines with egg whites. They skip the filtration process altogether.

A soil map drawn by Rodolphe.

You can check him out talking about the soil in les picasses here: https://youtu.be/KaIg8GS3FWs.