Domaine Charles Joguet – The Noble Expression of Chinon Cabernet Franc

A visionary legacy in the heart of the Loire Valley

Since 1957, Domaine Charles Joguet has embodied one of the purest and most demanding expressions of Cabernet Franc. An artist turned vigneron, Charles Joguet understood early on that Chinon could only reach its full potential through an intimate, parcel-by-parcel reading of its terroirs — a revolutionary idea at the time, and now a defining signature of the estate.

Since 1985, the Genet family has carried this vision forward with rigor and precision. Certified organic since 2016, the domaine has become one of the Loire’s benchmark names, combining tradition, finesse and a contemporary vision of Cabernet Franc.

The vineyard spans 32 hectares of Cabernet Franc and 2 hectares of Chenin Blanc, cultivated with meticulous attention to biodiversity, living soils and optimal ripeness.

Exceptional Terroirs and a Masterful Parcellaire Approach

The strength of Domaine Charles Joguet lies in the depth of its terroirs and in its ability to reveal every nuance of Chinon's landscapes. The domaine’s flagship wines come from some of the appellation’s most celebrated plots:

• Clos de la Dioterie
  Century-old vines on clay-limestone soils with a cool, luminous exposure. A wine of rare depth — vertical, mineral, built for decades of ageing.
• Clos du Chêne Vert
  A splendid hillside with southwest exposure, limestone and fine clays. Aerial, tense, vibrant, extraordinarily refined.
• Les Varennes du Grand Clos
  Silica-rich terraces and sandy-clay soils. Immediate elegance, pure fruit, silky tannins.

Complementing these iconic crus are Les Charmes and Les Petites Roches, deliciously juicy and accessible expressions of Cabernet Franc.

Natural Winemaking & Precision in the Cellar

The domaine follows a philosophy of minimal intervention — guided by intuition, experience and respect for the grape.

In the cellar

• fermentations in stainless steel and wooden vats,
• long macerations favouring finesse and structure,
• gentle extractions preserving purity and elegance,
• 12 to 18 months of ageing in used barrels,
• no fining and minimal or no filtration,
• a constant pursuit of transparency and mineral expression.

The Chinon Blanc, made from Chenin grown on limestone slopes, gains weight and texture through barrel fermentation and prolonged ageing on lees.

Domaine Charles Joguet’s Style – Energy, Precision, Salinity

Each cuvée carries a distinctive identity defined by freshness, purity and the clarity of limestone-driven terroirs:

• straight, saline tension,
• pure red fruit (redcurrant, cherry, raspberry),
• delicate floral notes,
• graphite-lined structure,
• remarkable tannic finesse,
• impressive ageing potential.

Clos de la Dioterie stands as one of the Loire’s great red wines — capable of evolving and deepening over several decades.

Key Cuvées

• Clos de la Dioterie – A legendary monopole. Century-old vines, mineral depth, immense longevity.
• Clos du Chêne Vert – Sovereign balance, freshness, aristocratic tension.
• Les Varennes du Grand Clos – Elegance, purity of fruit, silky texture.
• Les Petites Roches / Les Charmes – Charming, immediate, juicy expressions of Cabernet Franc.
• Chinon Blanc (Clos de la Plante Martin) – A chiselled, vibrant Chenin with a mouthwatering saline finish.

A Beacon of the Loire, a Timeless Style

Domaine Charles Joguet remains one of Chinon’s defining estates — a domaine that has transmitted, generation after generation, the same quest for accuracy, depth and purity. Its wines, celebrated for their precision, energy and gastronomic dimension, rank among the most sought-after in the Loire Valley today.