Jean-Maurice Raffault  and Rodolphe Raffault’s family began cultivating vines in Chinon 14 generations ago, when their ancestor, Mathurin Bottreau, bought his first parcel of vines in 1693.  

The Chinon appellation covers both banks of the Vienne River, which is a tributary of the Loire. The appellation encompasses 19 communes and has a total area of 2400 hectares. Its soils and climate are perfectly suited to the cultivation of the Cabernet Franc grape. 

 The late Jean-Maurice Raffault, father of the present manager and winemaker Rodolphe, was one the great personalities of Chinon. Upon taking over the family domaine in 1973, Jean-Maurice revolutionized local practices and put new practices in place that were widely emulated in the region. First, he abandoned polyculture in favor of the cultivation of only wine grapes. Beginning with only the 4.5 hectares he had inherited from his father, Maurice, Jean-Maurice purchased and planted some of the finest known sites of Chinon, expanding the domaine to 50 hectares. But most importantly, he began to vinify each parcel separately to ensure the typicity of each terroir. To reinforce this initiative, and to highlight the unique character of each wine as a result of the soil type and microclimate of its origin, Jean-Maurice began to use the name of the individual sites for the respective wines. No one has done this before in Chinon! The practice of naming Chinons with site names is now commonplace in the appellation, and it began with Jean-Maurice Raffault’s innovation. 

Rodolphe Raffault succeeded his father as winemaker and manager in 1997, after completing his studies at the Dijon University school of oenology. Today he vinifies and ages each wine separately. The maceration period ranges from 15 to 28 days. Rodolphe continues the tradition of aging the Chinons in neutral oak casks that are more than 10 years old. Their impressive cellar houses 900 barrels and is the largest in the region. Maturation takes place over 18 months in three huge caves cut into the limestone cliffs, protected from light and remaining at a constant temperature of 56 degrees and 85% humidity. Racking is done from barrel to barrel, in the traditional method, which helps to clarify the wines along with a later fining with egg whites. The wines are not filtered. 

Today, Domaine Jean-Maurice Raffault owns 50 hectares of vines in 7 communes. The Cabernet Franc vines average 35 years of age and 10 hectares within these sites are 50 years of age. The Chenin Blanc vines average 20 years of age. The domaine practices sustainable viticulture, known as lutte raisonee in France. The soils are either plowed or planted with grass. No chemical fertilizers or herbicides are used.

Drawing on his experience in Burgundy, Rodolphe initiated the practice of carrying out the wine’s malolactic fermentation in 100% new barriques for his top cuvees. This practice, rare in Chinon, results in dramatically expressive and pure wines. 

Raffault’s Chinon’s are wonderfully expressive wines that go harmonize with a wide variety of classic French dishes, while their natural fruity acidities make them fine matches for Asiatic cuisine, grilled fish, and spicy American foods. For wines of such depth and complexity, they also represent remarkable value.

THE WINES

CHINON BLANC  

This rare wine, made from Chenin Blanc grapes, represents only 2% of the total Chinon production. The grapes are planted mostly in the commune of Ligre, on chalky, limestone clay soils. J-M Raffault’s Chinon Blanc is fermented at low temperatures with only native yeasts. It is a white wine of true finesse, at once rich and very fresh with notes of citrus, honey and white fruits. 

CHINON ROSE 

Chinon Rose is considered the finest rose of the Loire Valley. J-M Raffault’s Chinon Rose comes from Cabernet Franc grapes planted across 10 hectares of sand and gravel soils. To enhance the wine’s freshness, it is vinified using mostly pressed juice. Fermentation is carried out at low temperature with native yeasts, and the wine is bottled in March following the harvest to preserve the bright and spicy red berry fruit. 

CHINON ROUGE 

The fruit for Domaine Jean-Maurice Raffault’s Chinon Rouge comes from vineyards on sandy, alluvial soil near the Vienne River. This origin gives a supple, fruity Chinon that is perfect for early drinking.  The wine’s bright cherry and raspberry flavors are best appreciated with a slight chill. 

CHINON LES GALUCHES 

The Galuches lieu-dit  is an ancient river bed of the Loire. The name of parcel derives from the presence of gravel. According the records from the era, vines were already well established in this sector by the 1830s. The Cabernet Franc ripens very well in the domaine’s 10 hectare holding on a sand and gravel soil. The Galuches is always among the first site to be picked because the soil warms up quickly and drains very well. The wine is very aromatic and is noted for its bouquet of violets, followed by lush and supple dark berry/cherry fruit. 

CHINON LES PICASSES 

Domaine J-M Raffault is the largest single owner in the 15 hectare Les Picasses vineyard, with six hectares of 15-to-60-year-old vines spread over ten parcels. The Les Picasses is situated on a plateau at the summit of the hills overlooking the Vienne. The site is the highest point between the Vienne and Loire Rivers and is very well exposed. It was home to many windmills in the 19th century. Vines were already planted here by the 15th century. The name Picasses derives from a vineyard tool with two points (pics) used to work on vines planted on stony soil. The soil in the Picasses vineyard is a blend of limestone and clay with small stones over a subsoil of pure limestone, imparting intensity and structure to the wine. J-M Raffault’s Les Picasses is aged in 3- to-10- year-old barriques for 18 months on its fine lees and malolactic fermentation take place in cask. It is a wine of great intensity of flavor -- minerally-tinged black cherry and kirsch-- and can be aged for many years.

CHINON CLOS D’ISORE 

This parcel is situated in the enclosed vineyard of the Chateau d’Isore, completed in the 17th century. The ancient cellar of the Chateau is located beneath the vines. The 3 hectare vineyard was fully planted in 1938 with a selection massale, which is largely intact to this day. The soil is a mix of clay and limestone and the exposition of the sloping vineyard is north-west. The Clos d’Isore is aged for 18 months in 1 to 5 year old barriques on its fine lees and malolactic fermentation takes place in cask. It is a wine for long aging, and the taster will appreciate the wine’s complex cassis and dark cherry qualities after at least 3 years in the cellar.