Domaine de Noire 6 Items

Domaine de Noire owner Jean-Max Manceau is a man about the Loire Valley—not only is he president of the Chinon AOC, but he also sits at the head of a commission that aims to keep the practices of Loire growers and winemakers true to the region’s traditions.

Manceau and his wife Odile care for just over 20 acres of vineyards in Chinon, a region that sits at the crossroads of the Loire and Vienne rivers. It's hard not to be infected by their combined enthusiasm for Cabernet Franc—these are very dedicated artisans (albeit hobbyists—Manceau runs a larger property as his "job") who seek above all to capture the purest expression of this native varietal.

The domaine draws its name from a legendary neighboring vineyard, "Clos de Noire." This high-altitude plot is renowned in the Loire for its alabaster soils, rich in minerals and chalk. It's the same sort of porous rock one can find in Champagne, and more immediately, in the walls and towers of the Loire's breathtaking chateaus.

Manceau's Cabernet Franc vines, on average 60 to 70 years old, share similar soils as "Clos de Noire." This great terroir, a combination of gravel and chalk, is ideal for Cabernet Franc. Manceau's "Cuvée Elegance," a 100% Cabernet Franc wine, is both full-bodied and fresh, with characteristic notes of violets and flint in the nose. Manceau also crafts a rare, 100% Cabernet Franc rosé, vinified completely in tank.